PEARLAND, TX – A Sunday evening shooting at Cole’s Flea Market in Pearland, Texas left five people shot, three of them children. The victims were immediately rushed to hospitals, where a 10-year-old boy later ultimately passed away from his injuries.
Pearland Police Department swung into action upon receiving a call about the gunshots around 5:30 p.m. On Monday, an update on the medical condition of the victims revealed that a 14-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man were stabilized, while a 16-year-old boy had undergone surgery. A 37-year-old man received treatment and was released from the hospital.
During a news conference, Officer Chad Rogers conveyed that the shooting followed a dispute between two individuals who were unknown to each other. Their argument escalated into an exchange of gunfire that broke out inside the marketplace. Police said that the 10-year-old, 14-year-old, and 37-year-old victims were innocent bystanders in the unfortunate event. There have been no charges filed in the case as of Monday.
Investigators are attempting to determine if the injured 16-year-old boy and the 18-year-old man had a role in the shooting. The city of Pearland, located approximately 17 miles south of Houston, is now caught in the aftermath of this tragic incident.
This deadly outburst of gunfire has deeply shocked the community in Pearland. According to Officer Chad Rogers, violence and mass shootings to this extent is not a common occurrence in the local area.