Paper: Houston Chronicle

Date: Sun 06/08/2008

Section: B Page: 4 Edition: 3 STAR R.O.

Alcohol may be factor in boy's shooting

By ANITA HASSAN

STAFF

A 13-year-old boy who was shot by a Pasadena police officer for allegedly failing to comply with orders to drop his handgun may have been drinking alcohol before the incident, authorities said Saturday.

Another teen told detectives that the two boys had been drinking liquor prior to the early morning shooting Friday, said Pasadena police Capt. A.H. "Bud" Corbett. A teenage girl who was also there admitted to police that she had taken Xanax, officials said.

The two teens were inside the home in the 2200 block of Wren at about 3:30 a.m. when police said they saw the 13-year-old standing in his driveway, firing a revolver into his backyard.

The other boy "told one of the detectives he heard the officer holler to his friend to put down the gun," Corbett said.

After repeated orders to drop the .38-caliber revolver, police said the teen turned toward the officers with the gun raised. An officer from the SWAT unit then drew his semi-automatic rifle and shot at the boy, who was struck three times in the right side of his lower back.

The boy was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he was last listed in critical condition, Corbett said. At this time, no charges have been filed and the shooting remains under investigation.

His friends were taken into custody, but were later released. The girl kicked out a window in the patrol car after being placed inside, authorities said.

Police were called to the area that night after receiving several complaints that 20 to 30 shots had been fired in the neighborhood beginning about 1 a.m., authorities said.

Officers reported that they heard gunfire coming from the front of a house and heard bullets ripping through the wooden back fence. As they moved toward the front of the property, officers saw the boy standing in the driveway firing the gun, authorities said.

It is still unknown where the boy got the gun.

"The mother claimed that they didn't have a gun in the house and doesn't know where it came from," Corbett said.

The boy's mother was not at home during the shooting, neighbors said.

As of Saturday afternoon, detectives were still waiting to speak with the boy.

"It's going to take a while to sort all this out," Corbett said.

No further information was immediately available.

 

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