A 7-year-old boy was killed in a drive-by shooting while he was lying in bed at around 10:45 p.m. local time in Texas on Sunday night.
Harris County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jason Brown said early on Monday morning that the boy was identified as Paul Vasquez, according to CBS News.
A silver fired multiple shots while driving by the house, as one hit Vasquez in the chest. The young boy was transported to a local hospital and was then pronounced dead.
Authorities said that Vasquez's mother and two older brothers were home when the drive-by shooting occurred, but were luckily unharmed.
"Appears that a silver sedan pulled up in front of a trailer home and opened fire on the trailer home, firing multiple shots," Brown said. "A 7-year-old child was struck by that gunfire. He was transported to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. As of right now we don't have a motive for the shooting."
Authorities have not yet named a suspect in the drive-by shooting.
"He was in his bed in his bedroom. His bedroom was in front the trailer home where the gunfire struck the trailer home," Brown told KHOU-TV. "He was initially shot and he was able to tell his mom he was shot before becoming unresponsive."
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted that he was "outraged" by the news of a 7-year-old boy being shot and killed, and asked for the community to help provide any information to the drive-by shooting.
"Outraged to learn that a 7-year-old child was killed during a drive-by shooting," Gonzalez tweeted. "I urge the community to come forward with any information related to this senseless act of gun violence. If you have any information, please contact us at 713-274-9100 or @CrimeStopHOU 713-222-TIPS."
He followed that tweet up about an hour-and-a-half later, and said that the United States should "not accept daily gun violence as our norm."
"A child was killed and during a drive-by shooting this morning. This is the daily toll of gun violence," Gonzalez tweeted. "Gun violence in the US can’t be viewed as a solitary issue. Let’s not accept daily gun violence as our norm. Our hearts go out to all those grieving in the wake of these shootings. We can and we must do more to stop gun violence."
About 15 miles from the drive-by shooting, a 9-year-old girl was shot and killed on Monday night just before 11:00 p.m., according to Houston police, per ABC News.
22-year-old Jeremiah Jones was charged with capital murder after he allegedly shot and killed his ex-girlfriend's daughter. He also shot his ex-girlfriend in the upper body, but she is expected to recover and is currently in stable condition, according to police.
Jones remains at large, and Houston Police Chief Troy Finner issued a statement asking Jones to turn himself in.
"In one incident, tragically, a 9-year-old girl was fatally shot and her mother was wounded at their family apartment at 404 Oxford Street just before 11 p.m.," Finner said in the statement. "The woman's ex-boyfriend, Jeremiah Jones, 22, is now charged with capital murder. He is wanted at this time. I am asking the suspect to do the right thing and turn himself in to HPD."
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