A Houston family is investigating the shooting death of their loved one only feet from his home.
The incident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday at an apartment complex on Schroeder Road in southeast Houston. Authorities reported the fatal shooting of a 59-year-old man while he was playing dominoes.
On Wednesday, Laquietta Boone identified the victim as her uncle Harry Boone Jr.
“He was like my best friend,” she explained. “My uncle should be here now.” We did not expect this, and it is still astonishing.”
According to investigators, Boone was playing dominoes with buddies when someone unrelated to the game approached him and smacked him on the head. A witness informed police that the men exchanged words before the suspect pulled out a weapon, fired, and fled the scene.
Boone said she had not known her uncle to be confrontational, but she believes the suspect had previously harassed him.
“He was outside socializing, as he always does, and from what I was hearing, the guy was bullying him,” the woman explained. “My uncle, you know he’s going to defend himself, and when he defended himself, that’s when he was shot.”
On Wednesday, KHOU 11 cameras showed officers returning to the location to collect information. The HPD has verified that an investigation is ongoing into the shooting.
The only description of the suspect is that he is a black man in his 20s. Boone stated that her family has worked with police to try to identify the individual.
“He (the suspect) is quite young, and my uncle was his senior.” It’s as if you just killed your grandfather or father for no reason,” she remarked.
Anyone with information on this case can contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
