John Bogna
Authorities reportedly found a 50-year-old homeless man dead in a parking lot on Caroline and Wheeler earlier this week, and they say they are still searching for the person responsible.
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According to click2houston.com, this isn’t the first death in the area, with police responding to homicide calls in August and October near the makeshift community, as well.
Police reportedly found the man close to a homeless encampment known to be causing a series of problems for residents in the area.
“I ran, and I grabbed my gun and I looked out the window, and, then maybe five minutes later, I saw police,” Patterson Nguyen, who said he recently purchased a home in the area, said in an interview. “Hopefully they fix the problem, and, then, after that, the whole neighborhood becomes a lot better.”
Regarding the most recent incident, witnesses reportedly heard arguing, then gunshots followed by seeing a man riding away from the area on a bicycle, according to HPD.
Another homeless man reportedly died at the scene after being shot in October.
Alan Bernstein with the City of Houston released a statement to try and address the growing concern around the encampments and the violent crimes reportedly taking place at this specific location.
“The mayor is deeply concerned, he has repeatedly said this. We must respect the court order. but every other measure the city has taken to provide public safety, the city will continue to provide to the best of its ability,” Bernstein provided in a statement.
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On Thursday, Mayor Turner outlined a plan to address the situation of the encampments, but he said the city’s hands are tied by a court-ordered injunction, thereby restricting Houston’s options to respond most effectively.
This is a developing story.
If you’d like to share information on the shooting, contact your local authorities or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
