Tuesday, September 27, 2016

9 Wounded in Houston Shooting

A "disgruntled lawyer" opened fire at a southwest Houston shopping center on Monday morning, injuring nine people before the gunman was shot dead by police.

The shooter was identified as Nathan DeSai, FOX26 reported, citing multiple sources. DeSai had previously worked at McDaniel & DeSai LLP, though the practice closed down at some point within the last year, Ken McDaniel told ABC13.

An ABC13 reporter who spoke with DeSai's father said the man had tried calling his son numerous times on Monday but had only gotten the man's voicemail. DeSai's father said his son was upset over the failure of his law firm and the business closed due to a lack of clients.

DeSai's father confirmed his son owned multiple guns and said he had a license to carry. He also said DeSai drove a black Porsche, the same type of car police were examing in the shopping center parking lot. That car's license plate showed it was registered to DeSai, ABC13 reported.

The gunman was known to law enforcement, officials said, and several guns were found in the man's car. He was a resident of an apartment complex near to the scene of the shooting and may have had previous run-ins with some of his neighbors.

Jennifer Molleda, who lives in the condo complex, said the most recent incident came a few weeks ago, when the man brandished an assault-style weapon at roofers in the complex.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the gunman "appeared to be a disgruntled lawyer who took out his anger and frustration on individuals," KHOU reported.

Asked if the shooting was an act of terrorism, interim police chief Martha Montalvo said “I’m not ready to confirm that.”

DeSai's LinkedIn page shows he graduated from the University of Tulsa with a J.D. and the University of Houston with a bachelor's degree in psychology.

Six of those wounded in the attack were transported to area hospitals. Three have since been released. One person was in critical condition. Three other victims were treated at the scene.

A fire official said some people were shot while inside their cars. Several people were hit with glass fragments from shattered car windows.

A nearby homeowner told FoxNews.com his wife woke up to gunshots at 6:30 a.m. Shortly thereafter police were seen going into a nearby condo.

A woman said her husband called as the shooting occurred and said, "I'm hit." The man told his wife that the gunman was shooting people with a "red light aimed through the front windshield."

Initial reports indicated seven people were hurt before police reduced the number to six.

Eduardo Andrade, 42, told The Houston Chronicle that two bullets struck his vehicle. "As I was driving by Law Street I suddenly heard a big explosion," Andrade said. "I covered myself, accelerated and tried to get out of there. I did not know if someone was following me or trying to shoot me." Andrade added: "I felt the hot air."

The shopping center is a widely-known upscale area and is a popular grocery spot. The strip mall features a pet store, office supply store and drug store. It is near a major intersection leading to the freeway. The Oaks at West University apartment complex is directly south of the shopping center.

The shooting comes days after a shooting at a Washington state mall that left five people dead. On Sept. 17, a 20-year-old man stabbed 10 people at a Minnesota mall before being shot to death by an off-duty police officer.

FoxNews.com's Melissa Jacobs in Houston and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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