Texas father pleads for public’s help to find gunman who killed 7-year-old girl and wounded the child’s mother
A suspect has reportedly been taken into custody in connection with the shooting death of Jazmine Barnes, a 7-year-old Texas girl who was struck by a bullet while traveling in a car with her family on Dec. 30.
A second suspect may be in custody as well, multiple sources told Houston’s FOX 26.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office issued a Twitter message saying only that the case had "taken a new direction," with "persons of interest" being interviewed.
The gunfire came from a pickup truck that had pulled up alongside the family's vehicle, authorities have said. In the same shooting, Jazmine’s mother was shot in one of her arms, while the girl’s three sisters were unharmed, authorities have said.
“I didn’t see anything but shattered glass and bullets coming toward my car,” the girl’s mother, LaPorsha Washington, told the Associated Press earlier this week.
One of Jazmine’s siblings was the first to realize that the 7-year-old had been killed, Washington told Houston’s KTRK-TV.
"She said, 'Momma, Jazmine's not moving. She's not talking.' I turned around and my 7-year-old was shot in the head," Washington told the station.
Police earlier this week released an artist’s sketch of a possible suspect, but KTRK reported that sources said the suspect who was apprehended does not resemble the drawing.
The girl’s death sparked an outpouring of concern from around the nation, FOX 26 reported.
Retired pro basketball star Shaquille O’Neal and veteran Houston police Officer Kenneth Miles recently said they would pay for the girl’s funeral.
Miles told FOX 26 this week that he was with O’Neal when he first heard about Jazmine’s death.
“He and I talked about the thought of losing one of our children and instantly it touched our hearts,” Miles said, recalling his conversation with O’Neal. “He actually suggested we come up with something that could lighten the burden, that could help the family out. He and I decided to split the cost of the funeral services.”
FOX 26 reporters later accompanied Miles as he delivered a check to the funeral home.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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