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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