A Houston man who was told he was going to be evicted set fire to a building full of rental units, shooting people who tried to escape the flames early Sunday morning, killing three before a police officer shot and killed him, the Houston Chronicle reports. It’s the second time someone facing eviction went on a killing spree this week.
The unnamed shooter, who appeared to be in his 40s, set fire to the structure, set up like a motel, that had been split into multiple apartments. He then waited out front until the residents tried to flee and shot them. Two reportedly died at the scene and a third victim died later at a hospital. Two other people were wounded, but one of them did not require medical treatment.
Fire fighters were the first to respond at the scene but could not help the victims or try to extinguish the flames because the shooter was repeatedly discharging rounds. Only after the police came, located the shooter at a parking lot across the street and neutralized him could rescue operations get underway.