13 November 2023 , 01:31
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A child has been shot dead and four other people injured in a mass shooting at an antiques fair in Pearland, Texas - with the suspect still on the run.
The horrifying incident happened at Cole's Antiques Village and Flea Market at about 5.30pm on Sunday. The other victims - another children and three adults - are currently being treated at local hospitals. Initial reports from police say the shooting began after a disturbance between two people which escalated to shots being fired. Authorities have said they don't believe it was a targeted attack.
Footage showed SWAT teams arriving to the scene as dozens of emergency service vehicles blocked the road. The Houston Police Department and Harris County Precinct 2 Constable's are assisting Pearland Police at the scene. The gunman is still on the run and authorities are asking the public for any information that may help their investigation.
READ MORE: Biden visits with families of 18 gunned down by Robert Card in Lewiston shooting
Police at the scene at Cole's Antique Village & Flea Market in Pearland, Texas (Channel 3 Now)
The horrifying incident happened at Cole's Antiques Village and Flea Market on Sunday (colesfleamarket/Instagram)Chad Rodgers, the PIO on the case, said they believe the shooting started as a disturbance between two people at the market.
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He said: "This does not appear to be a targeted attack on the flea market, this was a disturbance that occurred at the flea market between two indivudals in which shoots were fired. I do not know how many rounds were fired, I don't know how many guns were involved. We don't know if it was one shooter or two shooters. This is information we're trying to get.
"I'm reaching out to the public, if you were there tonight and you have any information we have a tip line set up. If you saw something that could help us with our investigation, this is a very active investigation, please call us. You can be left anonymous."
Anyone with information is being asked to call the tip line on 281.997.5828.
Sunday's shooting comes a year after the Uvalde city mass shooting in Texas where gunman Salvador Ramos, 18, slaughtered 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school. In the deadliest school shooting since Sandy Hook almost a decade ago, the attacker murdered 19 children and two teachers in a single classroom where cops also put an end to his spree by shooting him dead - bringing the current death toll to 22.
He then fled from the school, which is believed to cater for children aged seven to 10, before crashing into a ditch. Ramos - who was clad in body armour and posted chilling images of his arsenal before the attack - is thought to have exchanged gunfire with border patrol agents before barricading himself inside the building.
Tonight's Pearland shooting comes just weeks after Robert Card opened fire in Lewiston, Maine, killing 18 people and injuring 60. The Army Reservist entered the bowling alley at Sparetime Recreation and also the Schemengees Bar & Grille, both popular hangout spots that were hosting events that fateful day on October 25.
According to gun campaign group, Everytown, 3,996 people die by guns in Texas in an average year. With a rate of 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people, Texas has the 26th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US.
The rate of gun deaths has increased 46% from 2012 to 2021 in Texas, compared to a 39% increase nationwide. This means that in 2021 there were 1,870 more gun deaths than in 2012.
Everytown also claim gun violence costs Texas $51.3 billion each year, of which $1.1 billion is paid by taxpayers.