Around 11:05 p.m., Houston Police Department (HPD) responded to a shooting at an apartment complex near Texas Southern University (TSU) campus in Houston, a statement from the HPD said.
The victim, whose identity has yet to be released, was reportedly at a friend’s apartment with his roommate near the campus on Thursday night. The police stated, “While in the apartment, the victim’s roommate was handling a gun he believed to be unloaded. The roommate pulled the trigger and the weapon fired, striking the victim.”
Patrol officers stopped the vehicle of the two friends outside of the apartment complex, stating that “The wounded male was inside the vehicle.” Instead, the student was transported to a nearby hospital by Houston paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.
Police stated that the incident will be referred to a Harris County grand jury, and it is unclear at this time if the shooter or the friend have been indicted with any charges.
TSU released a statement that was sent to Newsweek, saying, “The Texas Southern University family is saddened by an accidental shooting in campus housing overnight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim whose life was lost. The safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority. This was an isolated and accidental incident.”
The school added, “All Tiger lives are precious. We are launching a campaign to educate our students and the community about gun safety and awareness. Counselors are available to help students who have been affected by the incident and those who need additional support. Students may contact the University Counseling Center at 713-313-7804. Faculty and Staff members can receive support through the University’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) by contacting Human Resources at 713-313-7521.”
“Please keep the student’s family and the entire TSU community in your thoughts and prayers. We are strong and we will get through this together,” the statement concluded.
Lieutenant R. Wilkens told KHOU 11, “Really, it’s a horrible tragedy, so prayers for anybody involved.”
Newsweek reached out to the Houston Police Department for comment.
Newsweek has reported several instances of accidental shootings that have turned fatal in the last few months. On March 31, a 2-year-old boy in Tennessee died after handling a handgun that accidentally went off.
A day before, a woman in St. Louis was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment after her 10-year-old shot his younger brother while handling a gun that was accidentally shot.
And two cousins, aged 12 and 14, accidentally shot themselves on an Instagram Live on March 27, where they were playing with a gun that accidentally went off.
