3 children shot by man they’re accused of trying to rob at gunpoint, Texas cops say

Three boys between 12 and 14 years old tried to rob a man at a Texas apartment complex and were shot, officials said.

Officials said the attempted robbery happened at the apartment complex on Houston’s northwest side after 10:30 p.m. Dec. 25, Christmas Day, KHOU reported.

The man, who police have not publicly identified, was approached by “several children” trying to rob him at gunpoint, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said on X, formerly known as Twitter. But the man defended himself by pulling out a pistol and opening fire, shooting three boys, Gonzalez said.

The boys were taken to a hospital for treatment, he added. Two are in fair condition but one of them, believed to be 12 years old, is in critical condition.

A resident at the apartments said they heard 10 gunshots, KTRK reported.

“I ran down to see what I could do to help. I looked at his face and said, ‘This is a baby. It’s a child!’” neighbor Bruce Bailey told the outlet.

The man and the children all lived at the complex, investigators told the station.

Deputies spoke to the man at the scene, and he is cooperating with the investigation, Gonzalez said.

This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 11:15 AM with the headline "3 children shot by man they’re accused of trying to rob at gunpoint, Texas cops say."