Crime
14 Shot, 1 Dead After Gunfire Erupts at Family Gathering on Cherryhill in Houston
Houston, TX — A family gathering turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted at a residence near Cherryhill Drive, close to South Loop and Mykawa Road, leaving 14 people shot, including one confirmed fatality, and several others critically wounded.
The Houston Police Department responded to a 911 call placed shortly before 1:00 a.m., reporting an active shooting.
Officers arrived on scene within three minutes and encountered ongoing gunfire as they secured the area.
According to Assistant Chief Patricia Cantu, the incident began during a family party at the residence.
Witnesses reported that an uninvited guest was asked to leave.
As he exited the gathering, the individual allegedly opened fire, prompting return gunfire from some of the residents.
“There were multiple scenes and several victims scattered throughout the property,” said Cantu. “It was chaotic from the start. Officers were still hearing gunshots when they arrived.”
Of the 14 individuals shot, one person was pronounced dead, and several others remain in critical condition, with some undergoing surgery.
Others sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition.
Emergency medical services transported many of the injured via ambulance, while others were self-transported by private vehicles, including three victims who were dropped off at a Jack-in-the-Box on Long Street near Loop 610.
As of now, several individuals have been detained for questioning, but it has not yet been confirmed whether the suspected shooter is among them.
Police are actively working to process multiple connected crime scenes and gather witness statements.
The Houston Police Department is urging anyone who attended the party or may have relevant information to come forward.
Witnesses are encouraged to contact HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600, or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
“Homicide detectives will begin releasing suspect information as it becomes available,” Cantu stated. “We are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating the shooter.”
This remains an active investigation.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.