Share this @internewscast.com
Inset: Anthony, 7 (KHOU/YouTube via victim’s family). Background: Apartment on Northborough Drive in Houston, Tex. (KHOU/YouTube).
A 7-year-old boy, while eating a McDonald’s Happy Meal with chicken nuggets in the living room of his Texas apartment, was struck in the head by a stray bullet, according to authorities.
The incident took place at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday at an apartment complex located on Northborough Drive in Houston. John Cannon, a spokesperson for the Houston Police Department, informed Law&Crime that based on shell casings found at the location, it seemed that two groups of people were exchanging gunfire within the complex.
One of the bullets penetrated the boy’s apartment and struck him in the head. First responders transported the boy to the hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
The boy’s mother, Davina, explained to local CBS affiliate KHOU that the family had just returned home from grocery shopping and McDonald’s. Since she has no one to watch her children while she’s at work, she typically takes them with her and comes home after midnight. The boy, identified only as Anthony, and his brother ran upstairs to eat their Happy Meals while she and her daughter put away groceries. That’s when they heard shots. A bullet entered the home through a glass door.
The boy’s mom and sister rushed upstairs to find him with blood running down his face.
A neighbor also ran to help.
“He was bleeding, he was talking. I’m like, ‘What happened, baby? What happened? Are you OK?’ I was just trying to keep him awake,” the neighbor told the TV station.
Local ABC affiliate KTRK interviewed the boy’s sister. She said the two are very close and described him as her “favorite little brother.” It was terrifying to see him on the ground with a bullet wound to the head, she said.
“I thought I was going to lose him. And I just didn’t want that,” she explained.
Once at the hospital, he underwent surgery to repair a head fracture. It’s unclear how long he will be in the hospital.
More from Law&Crime: ‘What goes up must come down’: Girl who just celebrated her 10th birthday killed by stray bullet fired into the air at midnight on New Year’s Eve, cops say
As for the police investigation, detectives are still looking for surveillance video that may have captured the incident and are canvassing the area, Cannon said. Crime Stoppers of Houston are offering a $5,000 for any information leading to an arrest.
KTRK reports crime has been rampant at the apartment complex, with four shootings, seven assaults, 12 burglaries and 13 weapons calls reportedly within the last six months. A 5-year-old girl was killed in the area by a stray bullet in July 2022. Cops say they are stepping up patrols.
The victim’s sister doesn’t want to leave her brother’s side.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
