The attempted carjacking happened early Friday morning a few blocks from the TSU campus.
HOUSTON, Texas — The sound of gunfire startled neighbors in this area of Eagle and Live Oak Streets around 2:30 Friday morning, including a woman who didn’t want to be identified.
“My prayer was just “Lord, don’t let that be one of my children,” because it was so close to the house,” she said.
Turns out, it involved the girlfriend of one of her sons, who police say was attacked next to her car by a man who demanded her keys.
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“Later we found out he had pistol-whipped her and she tried to mace him, but it didn’t work,” said the woman. “And when she tried to mace him, he shot her.”
“When she tried to mace him, he shot her.” I’m getting new details on an overnight attempted carjacking near TSU that left a young woman hospitalized. It happened steps from her boyfriend’s home. I spoke with his mother for @KHOU #khou11 pic.twitter.com/lurBKTW7im
— Jason Miles (@JMilesKHOU) August 21, 2026
She told KHOU 11 that her son’s girlfriend ran into the house seconds later as the suspect rifled through her car, unable to actually drive it away.
“It was mayhem at that point, just trying to rush because all I could think about at the time was just saving her life,” said the woman. “That’s all I could think about was just saving her life.”
She said they used towels to try and stop the bleeding before paramedics and police arrived.
“No one would have imagined that this would’ve happened,” she said.
She said there’s a good bit of foot traffic in the area near TSU and that the victim, who’s in stable condition and should be okay, just assumed the suspect may have been someone walking by. Fortunately, she got a good look at his face and hopes to be able to help the police identify him.
“They need to get him off the streets, you know, nobody wants to be a victim in their own neighborhoods,” said the woman.
There is a surveillance camera that looks right at the spot where this happened. However, it’s on a currently vacant home and not recording. Anyone who may have information should report it.
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