Video shows man suspected of shooting into southwest Houston apartment

Mother shot with children feet away

HOUSTON – Police are looking for the gunman who injured a sleeping mother Tuesday when he shot into the window of a southwest Houston apartment. 

According to police, the woman and her husband were sleeping in their home at the Gulfton Apartments in the 7600 block of Gulfton, with four children in the room, when a gunman walked up to the window and fired several shots, hitting the woman in the leg. 

The woman was taken to a hospital. She is expected to survive.

“I was just scared because of my children,” said the mother, who did not want to show her face or give her name. “I heard a window breaking and I thought someone was breaking in.”

The children-- all younger than 10-- the youngest only 2-- were sleeping on the floor under the window when the shots rang out. They were not injured. The woman’s husband was also uninjured.

“I yelled at them (the children). I woke them up and we brought them to the living room. They were all scared and crying,” said the mother. “I didn't notice I was shot until I turned on the lights. But we didn't want to turn on the lights because we were scared that there was still somebody outside.” 

ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING: This is where a family was sleeping when a shooter opened fire inside their apartment window in Southwest Houston. The mother was shot in the leg and is recovering. Her husband and their four children were not hurt. KPRC2 #kprc2

Posted by KPRC2 Cathy Hernandez on Tuesday, April 10, 2018

The children are staying with relatives, the family said.

Surveillance video from a neighbor's home showed a man walking around a parking lot just before the shooting, possibly scoping out the family’s apartment.

It appeared he was wearing a red hat, a T-shirt, dark-colored pants and white tennis shoes, while holding up his pants. Seconds later, the video showed him running toward the street.

Surveillance video from another camera showed the man walking on a sidewalk, toward the apartment complex, carrying a gun. Soon after, he runs away and gets into a white car, the video shows.

WATCH: Surveillance video shows man wanted in a mother's shooting at southwest Houston apartments

The mother said she does not know why anyone would want to hurt her family.

It is unclear why the family’s home was targeted.

The motive for the shooting is under investigation.


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