HOUSTON, TEXAS — A 911 call to Harris County authorities was received around 2 am on Friday, October 16th. The caller stated that he had gone to an apartment complex on Uvalde Road to meet a woman and was approached by two young males. One was carrying what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle, and the man responded by shooting one of the two with his handgun. He then fled the scene before calling 911.
When deputies arrived, they found the second suspect straddling the wounded one and administering CPR. Paramedics arrived and took over patient care but the young man, in his teens, did not survive.
Deputies recovered a toy guns which bore a realistic resemblance to an AR-15 rifle. The surviving teen was taken into custody and was uncooperative with officers during questioning. The man who shot and killed the other teen was also being questioned.
Houston County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ben Beall said, “We did find what turned out to be a toy gun, but we’ve also got some other evidence over there. We’re in the early stages of the investigation and it’s going to take a little bit to figure this out.”
Authorities have not identified anyone involved in the incident or said what, if any, charges may be filed.
Many of the “toy” guns available today are extremely realistic looking and can be extremely difficult to discern without close examination. When they are presented in low light conditions, at a distance, and carried as a real rifle would be carried, it can be impossible. Add to that the perceived threat and fear of one’s own life, and it can easily lead to a response by the owner of a real firearm, with real bullets and real consequences. This holds true whether the unknowing person is a civilian, military member or law enforcement officer. Regardless of the situation, it frequently has tragic results. The bearer, who is often a child or young adult, may end up paralyzed or dead. Similarly, it can have life-altering effects on the person who fires in self-defense. In the moment, there is no time for a second guess, but it can lead to a lifetime of second-guessing and emotional torture.
