Multiple children were shot in Houston during an attempted robbery on Christmas, with police revealing that the shocking crime was allegedly orchestrated by the young perpetrators themselves. The incident unfolded just past midnight on Wednesday at an apartment complex in the northwestern part of the city. Responding to the scene, officers discovered several boys suffering from gunshot wounds.
The boys, aged between 12 and 14 years old, were swiftly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Police disclosed that one of the victims was in critical condition, while two others were listed as stable. Authorities suspect that the shooting transpired when the children sought to rob a 25-year-old man, who reportedly defended himself by using his own firearm.
Following the altercation, one of the boys implicated in the robbery and the man who discharged the weapon were placed under arrest. The identity of the man has not been divulged, and the potential charges he may face remain undecided, pending further investigation by prosecutors or a grand jury.
Providing her account of the harrowing event, the man’s girlfriend recounted to ABC 13 that the couple had been returning home from a Christmas celebration when they were accosted by at least four armed youths. Initially mistaking the situation for a prank due to the young age of the assailants, the man found himself in a life-threatening confrontation.
Witnesses at the scene recounted the chaotic aftermath, with Bruce Bailey describing one of the boys as sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. Bailey recalled how a police officer tried to maintain the injured boy’s consciousness by asking him about his recent Christmas gifts. Meanwhile, another observer, Monique Robledo, expressed dismay at the involvement of children in such a violent incident, emphasizing that their presence should have been with their families during the holiday period.
