Officer fires weapon after shots ring out near SW Houston encampment; pregnant woman hit by bullets dies next day
Police said it began as a routine traffic stop when an officer noticed someone firing at a group of people in a nearby alley, which investigators described as a homeless encampment.
Police say a pregnant woman who was shot in the back and arm by a man shooting at a group of people in a southwest Houston alley has died.
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The incident happened around 2 a.m. near Harwin Drive and the Southwest Freeway in Sharpstown. Police said it began as a routine traffic stop when an officer noticed someone firing at a group of people in a nearby alley, which investigators described as a homeless encampment.
The officer then fired his weapon five times in the direction of the suspect, according to police.
Authorities said three people in the alley were shot — a 28-year-old pregnant woman who was hit in the back and leg, a 35-year-old man shot in the ankle, and a 57-year-old man shot in the leg. All three were taken to the hospital. Police told us one person is listed in critical condition, while the other two are expected to survive.
On Friday, police said the 28-year-old woman died at a hospital.
The suspect accused of opening fire was taken into custody and was not injured. Police said they also recovered the firearm used in the shooting.
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The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Ronnie D. Mitchell, is currently charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The case remains under investigation.
