A 20-year-old woman was shot in the neck after gunfire erupted outside a southeast Houston business Wednesday, according to the Houston Police Department.
The shooting happened near 1500 Lombardy Street, but investigators said the incident began at a business in the 4800 block of the Gulf Freeway, across the freeway from where the injured woman was eventually found.
According to HPD Lt. Willkens, a vehicle occupied by a man and the 20-year-old woman was parked at the business alongside a white SUV. The business key holder received a call about people in the parking lot and went to check on the property.
The key holder told investigators he heard what he believed were gunshots and returned fire toward the vehicles.
One of the rounds struck the 20-year-old woman in the neck while she was seated in the back seat of the vehicle, police said.
The white SUV fled the scene and has not been located.
The vehicle carrying the injured woman and driver left the parking lot, crossed to the other side of the Gulf Freeway and crashed near Lombardy Street, according to investigators.
Police said the business key holder followed the vehicle to the crash scene, remained there and is cooperating with investigators.
After the crash, the man and the injured woman ran from the vehicle through nearby backyards. Residents who saw them fleeing called police.
Officers located the woman, who was taken to a local hospital in stable condition. The male driver has not been found.
Investigators said the vehicle has a bullet hole in its rear window.
No charges have been filed as detectives continue investigating whether the business key holder was actually being fired upon before returning fire.
The investigation remains ongoing.