Man at large after shooting niece in stomach, police say

Police had previously reported they were grandfather and granddaughter

A man is on the run after he shot his niece in the stomach during an argument in south Houston, police said. 

Police have charged Leroy Houston, 60, with aggravated assault of a family member after he and his niece, Terrelisha Cole, 21, got into an argument at a home on Illinois Street near Old Spanish Trail around 2:15 a.m. Monday, police said.

Police had previously reported that they were grandfather and granddaughter but, upon reviewing charging documents, learned the two were actually niece and uncle.

During the argument, Cole walked out of the bedroom they were in and slammed the door, at which point Houston grabbed a gun and shot through the door, hitting Cole in the stomach, police said.

When police arrived, they found Cole, but Houston had fled the scene and remains at large, police said. 

Cole was transported to Ben Taub Hospital in stable condition and is expected to survive. 

Two young children were in the house at the time of the incident, but they were asleep and were not hurt or involved.


About the Author

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli has been a digital news editor at KPRC 2 since 2018. She is a published poet and has background in creative writing and journalism. Daniela has covered events like Hurricane Harvey and the Astros World Series win. In her spare time, Daniela is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her two miniature dachshunds.

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