HOUSTON – A family narrowly avoided tragedy after they say a driver shot at their car on the Gulf Freeway in Houston. The incident left a large bullet hole in the family’s Tesla, alarmingly close to where their children were seated. Although the driver was captured on dash camera, no arrests have been made.
The shooting occurred Sunday night near I-45 North and El Dorado Boulevard, close to Clear Lake. KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke with the father, who hopes the shooter will face charges. Out of fear for his family’s safety, the father asked to remain anonymous.
A family outing turned dangerous
The family was driving home after a weekend in Galveston when the incident occurred.
“It was a beautiful day, so we had the windows down, we were listening to music,” the father recalled.
As they were leaving Clear Lake, the father noticed a driver in a white car tailing them closely.
“As we were getting off the feeder onto I-45, I saw a white car extremely close behind me. It just popped up out of nowhere,” he said.
Dash cam captures the moment
The father activated his Tesla’s dash cam, which began recording when he honked the horn.
“When you honk your horn, the car automatically starts recording 360 degrees for 30 seconds,” he explained.
The driver of the white Toyota Camry, displaying CarMax tags, pulled up next to the family’s vehicle, rolled down the window, and appeared to yell an expletive.
“I wasn’t really paying attention to him because of the traffic, but then I heard a loud bang. I thought it was a tire exploding, but my 11-year-old son in the back seat said, ‘Dad, that guy shot a gun, that was a gun,’” the father recounted.
The bullet struck the passenger side door, where his 15-year-old daughter was sitting with the window rolled down. When she rolled up the window, they discovered the bullet had also shattered the glass.
Seeking justice
Although the dash cam did not capture the moment the shot was fired, Houston Police confirmed that the shooter fled the scene. The family managed to find a safe location until police arrived. The father expressed said he has never seen the shooter before and has no idea what prompted him to shoot at his car. The father believes this type of violence, should not be normalized.
“I had never seen this guy, and his face is completely embedded in my kids’ heads now and mine as well,” he said. “I want to find him. We need to make an example out of him.” He added, “I want him to stand in front of my kids and feel the weight of what he could have done—torn a family apart for no reason.”
Ongoing investigation
The father said he was told by HPD that an investigator will contact him, but he has not received an update at this time. HPD told KPRC2 they are working to determine what led to the incident. If anyone recognizes the driver’s car or has information, they are urged to contact the Houston Police Department (832) 394-1200.