'Pow, pow, pow:' Woman describes moments gunshots were fired, car drove into patio

GREATER GREENSPOINT, Texas – Residents at a northwest Harris County apartment complex said they woke up to gunshots and a crash after a vehicle rolled into the building.

According to police, the incident happened around 2:30 a.m. Friday at the Excelsior on the Park apartments on Ella Boulevard near Greenwell Drive.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said a black man in his 30s was shot while driving, causing him to roll and crash into an apartment. No one inside the apartment was injured.

One woman told KPRC2 reporter Sofia Ojeda she heard four gunshots, and when she went to investigate she found a huge mess.

“It was out of the blue,” the woman said. “I’m a light sleeper cause I have a baby, so out of the blue (I heard) ‘pow, pow, pow, sklirt bam.’ Next thing I know, I was looking out and downstairs from upstairs and I was like ‘The car is in the patio, literally flipped over in the patio.’”

The woman said the crash “knocked down the whole fence. It broke down my daughter’s basketball goal and just ran into some stuff.”

Her husband tried to get the driver out of the vehicle, but other residents had already called 911 and authorities arrived before he could get the driver out.

Deputies were able to get the driver out of the vehicle and the man was transported to a hospital, where he later died, authorities said.

The woman said crime is not an unusual occurrence for the area, and she is ready to get out.

“I'm ready to get off Ella,” she said. “Every night we hear some gunshots or something, but it never happens right here. Now it's right here.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.


About the Authors:

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.