CYPRESS, Texas – A 5-year-old girl is dead and two other children were injured after a vehicle carrying a mother and her five children was struck by gunfire Saturday night in northwest Harris County, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities say they responded to the shooting at approximately 11:30 p.m. on the 11800 block of Grant Road, near Jones Road. The girl was struck by gunfire and flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Mother was driving home from her mom’s house
Monica Hicks says she was driving home from her mother’s house when someone opened fire on her car near the corner of Grant Road and Jones Road.
“My daughter’s name was Zah’layah. She was the light of my life. That was my baby,” Hicks said.
Hicks says her car was shot at least five times before she realized what had happened.
“I didn’t hear a loud gunshot, but I heard like a (whizzing sound). And by that time, my back window shattered. All my kids in the back seat were screaming, and they continued to shoot in my car. And I did not know my daughter was hit until I pulled into my apartment,” she said.
Children traumatized after witnessing sister’s death
Two other children in the vehicle suffered injuries from shattered glass. Hicks says the experience has left her children deeply traumatized.
“All of my children were there, and they witnessed their sister like this on the floor, and they are traumatized,” she said.
Hicks says she has not been able to rest since the shooting.
“It is so sad that on my way home to safety, me and my kids were basically gunned down,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish this pain on my worst enemy.”
Car described as older white four-door Ford
Deputies responded to the Estates at Cypress apartment complex in the 11800 block of Grant Road. Hicks says the car that approached them was an older white four-door Ford.
“From the looks of it, they were shooting in my car before they got to my car because there’s a bullet hole literally by my gas tank. There’s bullet holes all in the side of my car, and there’s like a bullet hole inside of the headrest of the passengers of my car,” Hicks said.
She says she never saw who was driving.
“There’s tinted windows, but like I said, I couldn’t see who was driving because all I seen was the passenger window down,” she said.
Investigation ongoing, no suspects in custody
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Adriel Hinojosa said this could have been a possible road rage incident, and that they are currently investigating. There are no suspects in custody at this time.
Hicks says she has no idea what would motivate someone to do this.
If you have information, contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 713-221-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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