Two people were shot to death, and two others wounded while they were celebrating Thanksgiving in a Texas home, police have reported.
The suspected shooter is a male who was known to the victims but has not yet been identified.
Of those wounded, the adult is in critical condition while a 15-year-old is in stable condition, according to authorities, reported Fox news.
The shooting happened at night in Spring Branch, a community of around 250 people near Houston.
The shooting has been described by police as a “domestic-related incident.”
Houston Police Department Assistant chief Patricia Cantu said the ex-husband of one of the deceased entered the house from a backdoor and opened fire.
“The families were celebrating, they just finished eating. The suspect, who is known to be the ex-husband of the deceased female, came into the back door and just started firing at the people inside the house,” Cantu said, Fox reported.
“There were four other people inside the house. As soon as they heard the shooting, they ran to the rooms for safety,” Cantu said. The suspect fired multiple rounds of ammunition, she said.
The suspect fled the scene.
“This is a very sad situation. It’s Thanksgiving. People are supposed to celebrate with their families,” Cantu said. “We are praying for the families,” she added.
The motive of the crime remains unknown.
America is experiencing a major increase in crime that started in 2020. Of the 150 law enforcement agencies that submitted data to the FBI for the first half of 2022, about 60 percent reported increases in property crimes. Nearly one-third reported upswings in murder and robbery greater than 20 percent, and almost a quarter reported increases in burglary and theft exceeding 20 percent, compared to the same period a year earlier.
