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Houston, TX - A man was killed, a pregnant woman was shot, and another man was injured in a shooting outside an ice house in southeast Houston early Sunday morning, according to police reports.
Around 1:38 a.m., Houston Police Department received reports of shots fired in the parking lot of an ice house located in the 4600 block of Almeda Genoa.
Investigators say the shooting stemmed from an argument, though the nature of the dispute is unknown. Officers arriving on scene found two people shot - one man and one pregnant woman. The male victim was pronounced dead at the scene, while his female companion who was shot in the arm was transported to the hospital and is expected to recover fully, along with her unborn baby.
Roughly an hour after the incident, a vehicle riddled with bullet holes pulled up to another hospital carrying four men inside. One of the men was reportedly the third shooting victim from outside the ice house. Homicide detectives have been dispatched to the hospital to get statements from the men who arrived there with the third shooting victim, according to Lt. J.P. Horelica. "We do not currently have the medical status of that victim, and officers are currently at the hospital getting statements from the other three men inside the vehicle," he said.
Speaking with the victim's family members, Eyewitness News has learned the deceased is 29-year-old Donald James. According to his family, he recently celebrated his birthday two weeks ago.
"They took my son's life," said the victim's mother, Rosa James. She is calling for justice after her son was murdered. "He was a good human being. Good hearted. Everything," she told ABC13. According to his mother, he leaves behind five children.
"My son served in the military. He loved the whole world. My son had a deep love for humanity. He made sure everyone was taken care of," she said. "(And now) he's no longer here. Why would you take his life? He was so kind and generous to a fault," she told Eyewitness News. She said authorities wouldn't allow her to see her son due to the extent of his injuries, which upset her.
The Aftermath
In the wake of the fatal shooting, police are still searching for suspects and a motive in the case. With at least two guns apparently drawn during the altercation, investigators are working to piece together the events leading up to shots being fired.
The pregnant woman injured in the shooting is expected to recover fully, which will hopefully provide officers with more details. The third shooting victim brought to the hospital is also believed to be involved in the dispute outside the ice house. Police will try questioning all survivors and witnesses to build a timeline of what transpired.
For now, the investigation remains ongoing as homicide detectives process evidence from the scene. Shell casings littered the parking lot where the shooting took place, indicating an exchange of multiple shots. Police are calling on any members of the public with information on the shooting to come forward.
Remembering Donald James
Family and friends are mourning the loss of 29-year-old Donald James, who leaves behind his mother and five young children. His mother, Rosa James, remembered her son as a kindhearted man who served in the military and cared deeply for other people.
"He loved the whole world. My son had a deep love for humanity. He made sure everyone was taken care of," she said in the wake of her son's tragic death.
On what should have been a festive occasion just days earlier, Donald had celebrated his birthday surrounded by loved ones. His mother is struggling to come to terms with how he could be ripped away from his family so abruptly.
"Why would you take his life? He was so kind and generous to a fault," Rosa James told reporters. She was not permitted to see her deceased son due to the nature of his fatal injuries, which added to her grief.
Plea For Justice
As police work to find the individual or individuals responsible for Donald James' death, his mother is pleading for justice. She believes her son, who had no criminal background and was known as a kindhearted person, was wrongfully targeted and murdered.
Rosa James is determined to see whoever is responsible for killing her son held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Though it will never bring Donald back, she hopes arresting and charging any suspects will bring some closure.
In the meantime, Rosa and the rest of Donald's family and friends are left mourning his loss and remembering his generosity, humor and love for his children. Taken far too soon at just 29 years old, Donald James leaves a hole in many lives as loved ones struggle to cope with his sudden absence.
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