At least one person was killed and multiple others were in critical condition after gunfire erupted at a family barbecue in Houston early on Sunday, the police said.
Officers received calls about a shooting on Cherryhill Avenue, in the southeastern part of the city, just before 1 a.m. local time, Assistant Chief Patricia Cantu of the Houston Police Department said at a news conference.
Officers arrived minutes later to find ongoing gunfire and multiple victims, who were relocated to a nearby Jack in the Box restaurant to be assessed and transported to hospitals.
At least 14 people were injured, the police said. Several of those hurt were in critical condition and undergoing surgery, Chief Cantu said.
Six people were taken to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center and one was taken to Ben Taub Hospital, both in Houston, according to the Houston Fire Department. Their conditions were not immediately available on Sunday.
The shooting began when an “uninvited guest” arrived at the family gathering, Chief Cantu said.
After being asked to leave, the uninvited person, a man, went to his car “and started shooting and gunfire was exchanged,” Jodi Silva, a police department spokeswoman, said on Sunday.
It was not clear if the man had the weapon on him or if he retrieved it.
It was too early in the investigation to say whether the gunman and the people attending the barbecue knew each other, Ms. Silva said, adding that a motive for the shooting remained unknown as of Sunday afternoon.
“The scene ended up spreading over several blocks because of people running and fleeing,” Ms. Silva said, noting that some people had taken themselves to hospitals.
The police had not yet apprehended a suspect. Multiple people were detained “for information,” Chief Cantu said.
Johnny Diaz contributed reporting.
