A tragic domestic shoot out occurred in a Houston suburb this Wednesday, leaving four children and two adults dead, as well as a seventh member of the family in critical condition. A dramatic confrontation followed, between police and the suspect and the man eventually turned himself in to the authorities, according to their statements. The alleged shooter has been identified by police as 33 year-old Ron Lee Haskell. Police sources claim he was involved in an argument regarding a divorce, which he followed up on by driving to his home in the Houston, Texas suburb of Spring. When he arrived, he shot seven members of his own family, including five children.
The death count includes two boys, aged 13 and 4, respectively, two girls, ages 9 and 7, respectively, plus two adults: a 39 year-old male and a 33 year-old female, according to reports broadcast by KPRC, an affiliate of the NBC network. The seventh family member to be shot and critically wounded is a 15 year-old girl, who, as of the time this article was written, is still in hospital, under medical supervision. The children’s paternity remains unclear. It was initially believed that the children were partly adopted, partly fathered by the suspect, as reported by KPRC. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the man may not be the father of any of the children who were shot. At the time of the shooting, the wife of the alleged assailant was traveling to another town, said a spokesperson for the Spring sheriff, as cited by The Associated Press.
Also, according to the Associated Press, the sole survivor of the attack, the critically wounded 15 year-old girl, was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital. In spite of the state she was in, the girl still managed to identify the suspect and inform the lawmakers of the suspect’s possible following destination. In an interview with the AP, the Constable of Harris County, Ron Hickman, told the press that the girl had indicated her grandparents would be the attacker’s following target.
The police chased the man for 20 minutes in the cul-de-sac where the shooting occurred. They eventually managed to circle his car and attempt a negotiation with him. Constable Hickman said the suspect held a gun to his own head throughout the negotiation, but he eventually surrendered, around 10 p.m.. Assistant Chief Deputy Constable Mark Herman, from the Constable’s Office at Precinct 4 in Harris County, told the press that the dispute was sparked off by a fight regarding a break-up in the family.
