Early this morning, six people were shot and injured in southwest Houston, Texas. According to HPD Acting Police Chief Martha Montalvo, the suspected gunman in this shooting spree was a lawyer, and he was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police.
Here’s more information from the Houston Chronicle on the breaking news:
At a 9:15 a.m. press conference, Montalvo said the alleged shooter was a local lawyer and there were “questions” surrounding his law firm. Montalvo said once the suspect’s car was cleared, officers would conduct a search of both his apartment and social media accounts for clues regarding the shooting.
No further information was given about the suspected shooter and there was no indication that a second suspect was involved, Montalvo said. The FBI is assisting on the investigation.
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The suspect’s vehicle was reportedly full of weapons, and the bomb squad is investigating his apartment. Nine people were injured in total and six were sent to hospitals, some with very serious injuries. One person is reportedly in critical condition.
UPDATE (1:00 p.m.): The shooter has been identified as Nathan DeSai. He was a 1998 graduate of the University of Tulsa College of Law, and had practiced law for 17 years. His law firm, McDaniel & DeSai LLP, closed down about six months ago, per his former partner, Ken McDaniel. From FOX News:
DeSai’s father said his son was upset over the failure of his law firm and the business closed due to a lack of clients.
DeSai’s father confirmed his son owned multiple guns and said he had a license to carry. He also said DeSai drove a black Porsche, the same type of car police were examing in the shopping center parking lot. That car’s license plate showed it was registered to DeSai.
We will update this post as we receive more information. If you have anything additional to report on this shooting, please contact us via email or text (646-820-8477). Our thoughts are with those who are recovering from their injuries.
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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. Follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.