An elderly man is behind bars after opening fire at a Texas Color Guard Circuit (TCGC) percussion competition Saturday evening at Pasadena Memorial High School.
Authorities say the suspect walked into the event and fired a small-caliber handgun. The bullet struck a man in the shoulder, who was airlifted to a hospital and is currently in stable condition.
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Off-duty HPD officer tackles suspect
A good Samaritan quickly tackled the shooter, with other attendees helping to disarm him. Security personnel and officers, already on-site at the event, swiftly took control of the situation.
The man who tackled the shooter was later identified to be an off-duty Houston Police Department officer who was at the event.
What we know about the suspect
Pasadena Police Department released the identity of the suspect. He was identified as 83-year-old Dennis Erqin Brandl Jr.
Earlier in the day Sunday, officials confirmed that Brandl was not affiliated with the band contest in any way, and authorities were trying to piece together why he was even there.
According to a statement from Pasadena PD, Brandl told police that he was being chased and feared that he and his wife were in danger of being killed.
Brandl said he left his home in Spring and ended up in Pasadena, where he went inside the school and shot the victim. Pasadena PD did not provide any information to corroborate these claims, and it remains unclear if Brandl was having some sort of mental breakdown.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has accepted a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and Brandl is currently being held without bond.
Pasadena ISD response
Pasadena Independent School District (ISD) released a statement acknowledging what happened. The district clarified the suspect had no ties to the competition. They will be providing crisis counseling and additional security at campuses next week.
The statement read:
“This evening at Pasadena Memorial High School, an elderly male walked into the entrance to the auditorium during a drum line competition. He was in possession of a weapon and discharged it. The individual with the weapon was immediately tackled by a parent attending the event. Pasadena ISD Police, a civilian, and several good Samaritans immediately apprehended the suspect. One adult male victim was shot in the shoulder and transported to the hospital. At this time, we do not know his condition. The shooter was not affiliated with the band contest, and it is currently under investigation why he was on campus.”
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Katy ISD statement
Katy ISD, whose schools were part of the competition, informed parents that the shooting incident occurred near the event. The district confirmed that students and staff at the competition were not directly impacted by the shooting.
The district’s statement read:
“Dear Katy ISD Parents and Guardians,
This message is to notify you of a shooting incident tonight that occurred in Pasadena near the competition in which Jordan High School, Morton Ranch High School, and other district percussion teams were performing. Safety precautions were implemented immediately. Students at the performance were not impacted by the shooting. The event did, however, prompt some of our students and staff to shelter in a safe area at the competition location. All students and staff are safe and accounted for and have since boarded buses to return home. We applaud our students for calmly and quickly responding to the situation and practicing all safety protocols."
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