Two Critically Injured After Violent Drug Deal Escalates into Gunfire in North Houston

A suspected drug deal turned violent late Monday night, leaving two men hospitalized in critical condition after an exchange of gunfire in a shopping center parking lot along the North Freeway near Crosstimbers Street in north Houston.

Houston police responded to the scene shortly after the incident occurred and discovered a vehicle in a nearby lot riddled with a bullet hole. Inside, they found a man who had sustained at least one gunshot wound. He was immediately transported to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition but is expected to survive.

Another man, also inside the same car, appeared to be intoxicated, according to police. He did not flee the scene and is currently cooperating with investigators.

While officers were processing the initial scene, a second shooting victim arrived at a nearby Whataburger restaurant. He was accompanied by an uninjured individual. Authorities believe the pair abandoned their vehicle — a blue Mazda — along the freeway after running out of fuel while attempting to reach the hospital.

Preliminary evidence points to a meeting between the two groups for what authorities believe was a drug transaction that spiraled into violence.

“There was an exchange of gunfire, and that’s how both victims were shot,” officials stated.

Police have since recovered the abandoned Mazda and are working to gather surveillance footage and interview potential witnesses to determine the full chain of events.

As of now, no arrests have been made, but authorities have questioned the intoxicated man found at the scene and the uninjured man who arrived at the fast-food restaurant.

Both victims are receiving treatment and are expected to pull through, though their conditions remain serious.

The investigation is actively ongoing as law enforcement continues to collect evidence and piece together what led to the gunfire.

Houston, Texas