HUMBLE, Tx – A back-to-school shopping trip turned into a terrifying run for safety for one Houston-area family after gunfire erupted inside Deerbrook Mall Saturday evening.
Angela Arriaga said she and her family were trying on shoes at Journeys when they heard the first gunshot.
“At first, I thought something fell on the ground because I was trying to stay calm before I panicked,” Arriaga said. “Then when I saw everybody running, that’s when I panicked and grabbed the girls, and we all ran to the back.”
The family heard a total of four gunshots and ran toward an emergency exit. In the chaos, Arriaga said they were briefly separated from her husband, who remained near the front of the store to help others get to safety and close the store’s gate.
Arriaga refused to leave through the emergency exit until her husband caught up with them.
“I was scared that he was shooting just anyone,” she said. “We didn’t know if it was a targeted person. That was the most frightening part.”
Humble Police and Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the mall at approximately 6:30 p.m. Authorities said a juvenile was shot and taken to a hospital. Another juvenile, identified by authorities as the suspected shooter, was taken into custody.
One of Arriaga’s daughters, Alina, had taken off her Crocs and was trying on a new pair of shoes when the shooting started.
She escaped the mall wearing only one of the store’s shoes, leaving behind her own shoes, purse and necklace.
“I’ve never actually been through those types of things before, and I don’t want to do it again,” Alina said. “I just wanted to go get some shoes, and then we heard that.”
Angela later shared the family’s experience on social media, including a photograph showing her daughter outside the mall with only one shoe.
The post caught the attention of local community advocate Andrew Zamarripas.
“This story really got to me,” Zamarripas said. “I really wanted to reach out to the family and see what I could do because I know it’s back to school, and the parents are working as hard as they can.”
A happier return to the mall
Zamarripas brought the family back to the mall Sunday and purchased new shoes for two of Arriaga’s daughters and her granddaughter. He also gave the girls shirts from his clothing brand.
The girls walked away wearing their new shoes—this time, leaving the mall with smiles on their faces.
“I felt very grateful, and I’m glad that I got the shoes I’ve been wanting,” one of the girls said.
Arriaga said the family plans to repay Zamarripas’ kindness by performing good deeds for others.
“We’re going to pay it back with our good deeds,” she said.
For Alina, the new shoes were a welcome surprise following a frightening experience.
“I’m really grateful that none of us got hurt,” she said. “I hope the people who did get hurt get better.”
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.