Crime
Houston gunman sets home on fire to lure people out, then fatally shoots them
The suspect, a man in his 40s, had recently been evicted from the building he set on fire
August 29, 2022 6:05am
Updated: August 29, 2022 2:52pm
A man set a Houston building on fire to lure people out of it and then fatally shoot them when they fled for safety, authorities reported.
Police responded to multiple calls at around 1:07 a.m. local time, reporting a “person down, a shooting, and a fire at a building near 8020 Dunlap Street.
“This suspect, unfortunately, and very sadly, and very evilly set fire to several residences, laid wait for those residents to come out and fired upon them,” Houston Police chief Troy Finner said at a news conference told reporters.
Three people were killed and two people were injured. The victims were all residents of the building, ranging from 40 to 60 years old. Their identities have not been released.
The fire department had arrived at the scene first, but because of the bullets being shot they had to retreat.
"The suspect began to fire. I don't know if he was firing in their direction, but they had to take cover," Finner said.
A police officer who had arrived at the scene found the suspect in the parking lot across the street holding a shotgun. The officer, a seven-year veteran, fatally shot the suspect. The police officer was put on administrative leave, as dictated by the department policy.
The suspect, in his 40s, had recently been evicted from the building he set on fire, Finner added.
“The suspect was recently notified of an eviction,” Finner said. “He’s been a longtime resident here and that may have been a trigger point for him.”
"I'm just fortunate that I didn't go outside because he probably would have shot me too," building resident Robin Ahrens told the Houston Chronicle.
Ahrens added that the shooter had been diagnosed with cancer, was jobless, behind on his rent, and was recently notified that he was going to be evicted.
"Something must have just hit him in the last couple of days really hard to where he just didn't care," he said.
The incident is being investigated by the district attorney’s office and the Houston police department.
