Two people, including an 8-year-old child, were shot and wounded in a northwest Harris County neighborhood, and authorities said their injuries are not considered life-threatening. Deputies were searching for whoever opened fire, and no arrests had been made as the investigation stretched into Sunday.
The gunfire erupted in the 1500 block of Ridgebriar Drive, prompting a heavy response from Harris County law enforcement. Deputies cordoned off the residential street and remained on the scene through the overnight hours as they worked to understand what had unfolded.
Investigators said the 8-year-old was among two people struck during the shooting. Both victims were taken to a hospital for treatment, and officials stressed that neither suffered wounds described as life-threatening. The child, a minor, has not been identified by authorities.
Deputies spent the night combing the block for evidence, photographing the scene and speaking with people in the area. As of Sunday, they had not released a possible motive or said whether the victims were targeted, and no description of a suspect had been made public.
Authorities appealed to the community for help, asking anyone who saw the shooting or has information about who may be responsible to come forward. Residents were urged to contact the Harris County Sheriff's Office or to leave anonymous tips with Crime Stoppers.
The shooting was one of several that Harris County authorities and Houston police responded to over the Fourth of July weekend, a stretch that also included an early-morning confrontation in southeast Houston in which two people were wounded after a dispute over fireworks escalated into gunfire.
The wounding of a young child has added to concern among neighbors and officials about bystanders being caught up in gunfire during one of the busiest holidays of the summer. Deputies said the investigation remains active and asked anyone with relevant video or accounts to share it with them.