Southeast Texans report strange light in the sky

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Some mysterious flashes in the sky gained a lot of attention. We received a lot of comments from viewers, all saying the flashes were spotted around the same time Friday morning.

As the day was starting, at about 6:45am, from north Texas to the Gulf Coast, people were greeted with flash in the sky. Some report hearing what sounded like a sonic boom. Ashley Graham says she was walking her dog here in Houston.

"It was like a big flash and I thought it was lightning," she recalled. "It was a big light, and it was kind of scary, but I didn't think about it too much."

A lot of people are thinking about it now. A flash, a colored light -- reports are still coming in. It could be seen all around the area if you were up early enough.

"If we have a time when a people are outside when something happens, then we get all these reports," said Dr. Carolyn Sumners with the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Dr. Sumners missed the event. There is no definite explanation yet for the light and what appeared to be a trail across the sky. But for now she suspects it's part of a meteor as it hurtled through the earth's atmosphere.

She said, "The longer we go with no manmade explanation, the more we think it really was a meteor."

Meteors are common. We also call them shooting stars. In the lobby of the museum planetarium, there is part of a meteorite on display, composed of iron ore that burned across the sky.

On Friday afternoon the National Weather Service questioned whether it was debris from a Russian satellite as it re-entered the atmosphere. For now, it's a mystery, and a very intriguing one, just a few weeks before the Mayan calendar's prophecy of doomsday.

"It's getting closer to that day, and this big flash, and I didn't know what it was," Graham said. "Yeah, a lot of different things were going through my mind."

"It is a little scary and you think about all the other things that have happened over the months and over the years and it makes you think about a lot," said museum visitor Glenda Scales.

A week from today a meteor shower is expected to begin. Perhaps this flash across the sky was the prequel. So far the official determination of the flash across the sky has not been made.

If you saw it, tell us about it on our Facebook or Twitter page. And if you happen to have captured a photo or video, email it to us at news@abc13.com or upload it on our iWitness reports page.

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Police identify teen killed in deadly shooting in southeast Houston

  crystal KobzaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- A fifteen-year-old was gunned down during a neighborhood game of basketball in southeast Houston Friday night. And now, Houston police have more details about what may have led to the shooting, but say questions still remain.

It happened inside the park at an apartment complex on Sabo near Almeda. Police say there was a fight between two people at the time of the shooting, but they are still investigating whether the teen who was shot was involved in that fight.

Police have identified the victim as 15-year-old Thomas Williams, Jr. On Saturday, a small memorial was put up where Williams lost his life.

Witnesses with whom we spoke Saturday afternoon say they heard at least six gunshots. One witness tells us he heard the first five gunshot and then saw the suspect jump on Williams and shoot him a sixth time.

He tells us he just moved into the apartment complex, but after witnessing this shooting, he is considering moving for the safety of this family.

"My entire life, I have never seen something like that happen," said resident Juan Garcia. "To me, they are just kids. There are kids playing. There is a playground here and they just come and hang out here."

According to police, they are still looking for the suspect who shot and killed Williams. Last night at the time of shooting, there were numerous eyewitnesses, many of them also teens who were gathered back at the complex Saturday.

If you have any information on who the suspect involved in this shooting is, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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Teen fatally shot at southeast Houston aparment complex

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police are investigating after a teenager was shot and killed at a southeast Houston apartment complex.

The shooting happened around 7:30pm at the Green Arbor apartment complex on Sabo Road near Almeda Mall.

To hear neighbors tell it, it was just a Friday night basketball game on the court inside the Green Arbor apartment complex. That is, until the shots rang out.

"I heard seven gun shots ... and then I pushed my grandson inside the house. I told my husband, 'What's going on?' and he said somebody's shooting out there," Eyewitness Toni Green said. "A few minutes later, I saw someone run to his car."

Green says the shooter drove off in an older model Lincoln. Soon, friends and family began to realize that a teenager was shot.

Family members tell us the 15-year-old shooting victim is in 10th grade and came to the apartment complex to shoot hoops with a friend.

Lou Rodgers was a friend of the victim.

"Gunshots were flying. I'm trying to move from the gunshots. Out of all us, one of our partners got hit. He just ran up on us and started shooting at us for no reason," Rodgers said.

As the evening wore on, a large crowd began gathering at the complex, wondering what caused the shooting and why a teenager, who everyone says does not even live there, became the victim.

The investigation is just starting, but Green says there is no excuse for the violence.

"Not again. I just left an apartments where people were getting killed, so it's sad. It's real sad," Green said.

Homicide investigators remained at the scene late Friday night to interview different people, but the victim's mother tells us she's worried that even if people saw things, they may not be forthcoming everything they know.

Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the latest details.

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Man shot in driveway in southeast Houston

Neighbors found the victim laying in the driveway after hearing the gunshots.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police are looking for the person who attacked a man moments after he returned to his home in northwest Houston.

Neighbors say the man hadn't even made it to his front door when someone opened fire on South Lane near Wheatley.

The victim was shot several times while standing in the driveway. Neighbors heard the gunshots and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The man was taken to Ben Taub Hospital. His condition is not known at this time.

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More rain expected this weekend across southeast Texas

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Keep the umbrella handy for the next few days.

Plenty of moisture, warm temperatures and a couple of fronts will keep our weather unsettled through the weekend. The biggest threats will be brief heavy rain, dangerous lightning and even weak funnel clouds or waterspouts. No warnings are currently in place.

Some of our Eyewitness Storm Spotters have picked up over an inch of rain Thursday. While some minor street flooding has been reported during the downpours, there have been no widespread problems.

A weak front will move in on Friday, providing the focus for more heavy thundershowers. Another 1-2 inches could fall in some neighborhoods.

The mid-levels of the atmosphere dries out a little on Saturday, which should allow a few peeks of sun to shine through the clouds. But a few more showers could still develop on Saturday and more rain is likely on Sunday.

You can see where it's raining now on our street-level interactive weather map, which includes radar, satellite, lightning strikes, and much more.

Thanks to more clouds and showers, highs for most of us will stay in the 80s into next week.

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Man, 76, fatally struck by car in southeast Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- No charges are expected to be filed after a 76-year-old man was run over and killed Saturday morning.

Police say the victim was in the street on Hartsook near Frey in southeast Houston when he was hit.

The driver stopped. Officials say the victim, whose identity hasn't been released, died at the scene.

At this point, investigators say it looks like it was just an accident.

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Police investigate death of 3-month-old infant in southeast Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police are investigating the death of an infant in southeast Houston.

Police say the three-month-old baby died at about 11:30pm Thursday at a home in the 7700 block of Glenvista. The boy's father fed him a bottle and then put him to bed at about 11pm.

The father woke up approximately 15 minutes later and says he found the baby cold to the touch and not responding. Houston Fire Department Paramedics were called to the scene and conducted CPR on the baby before transporting him to Texas Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The baby's identity and cause of death are pending autopsy results by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. The police investigation is pending autopsy results.

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Surveillance video released of fatal drive-by shooting in southeast Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Houston police have released surveillance video of a suspect's vehicle involved in the fatal shooting of a man earlier this year in southeast Houston.

The surveillance video starts with the victim's and suspect's vehicles pulling up just outside a service station at 4400 Ward at Foster about 7:20pm on January 3, 2012. The suspect's vehicle then flees through the parking lot immediately after the shooting.

Police say the victim was driving on Ward when a newer model silver Dodge Caliber pulled up next to his car. Someone from inside the Dodge then shot into the driver's side of the victim's vehicle. The victim Sidney Ross, 31, of Houston, drove a short distance and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The suspect is described only as a black male.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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Victim identified in fatal shooting at rave party at southeast Houston house

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The victim killed at a rave at a house in southeast Houston has been identified. He was just 18 years old and about to graduate from high school.

The family of Ryan Spikes of Cypress told Eyewitness News they are just devastated right now and they want some answers. They tell us they want to know who shot the teen and left him to die on the street.

"We're not taking it good at all; not good at all. This is heartbreaking," said Tiffany Spikes, the victim's sister.

Tiffany's 18-year-old brother, Ryan, was killed early Wednesday morning. The Cypress Springs High School senior and athlete was shot outside a huge rave-style party at a vacant house in the 4400 block of Allison. The gunman is still on the run.

"We just hope in Jesus' name that somebody will come forward and just be truthful about it. If it's hindering their heart, come forth or turn themselves in, or if anybody know anything, call TIPS," Tiffany said.

We've learned between 300 and 600 teenagers and Spring Breakers attended the chaotic party which was highly advertised across social media sites. Houston police say officers responded to the scene after reports of loud noise. As police and security tried breaking up the huge crowd, police say they heard gunshots. Ryan's family told us he had no enemies.

"Lord Jesus, my brother was humble. He barely spoke or talk. He was never was in no mess, never fought," said Tiffany.

Witnesses say several people were shooting. Police say they tried chasing down one gunman, but he got away. Now Tiffany and her family are pleading for answers.

We checked with Houston police. They told us detectives are still interviewing witnesses. For now, police and Ryan's family are encouraging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

In light of the shooting, there will be a community meeting on Monday night. It will be held at the Cullen Missionary Baptist Church at 6:30pm. Councilwoman Wanda Adams will be there along with Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland. The goal of the meeting is to talk about ways to prevent something like this from happening again in the community.

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One killed at rave party in southeast Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A killer is on the run after a shooting at party that police say got out of control. Hundreds of teenagers were reportedly at the party, all crammed into a vacant house in southeast Houston.

It happened at a home on Allison near Cullen. Police were on the scene investigating for several hours after the massive Spring Break foam party advertised on social media turned into a deadly shooting.

Willie Armstrong, 19, and a group of friends were among what Houston police say was anywhere from 300 to 600 or more teens and college students all crowded in the house.

Party-goers tell Eyewitness News it was a massive bubbles and foam party. But around midnight, after calls from several neighbors, police, including off-duty HPD officers working security, shut the party down.

"Then about 30 minutes later all hell broke loose -- gunfire," said neighbor Amos Miles.

Police say there were several people firing. Witnesses say bullets were coming from everywhere.

"Like 10 over here, three over here, six over there," said witness Fredrick Johnson.

That's when Armstrong, who was running from gunshots, looked up and saw one of the gunmen.

"He was just walking and then he just pulled out a gun and started shooting," he said.

Then he saw the gunman fire at a teen.

"He shot that boy in the back of the head and he fell on the ground by the car. He was just laying there," Armstrong said.

HPD says as the suspect took off officers tried to detain him, but he got away.

"He started shooting at the police, too, because I guess the police had seen him," said Armstrong.

It's said to be the fourth rave style party at what was built as an assisted living facility 12 years ago. It went through foreclosure and the ownership is murky. The builder says it is bank property, but it is not abandoned. Instead it's believed to be a business again -- a party venue that brings hundreds of cars down a two lane country road and more.

A neighbor, who didn't want to be identified, recalled, "The last mansion party they had out here I was trying to keep out of my yard and they said, 'Hey, can we put our weed in your mailbox?' And I said absolutely not."

Police are now trying to contact the promoter and trying to find out who the property owner is.

"It's a tragedy. It's a loss," said Miles. "Somebody lost their child which could have been avoided."

The victim died at the hospital and hasn't been idenfitied. The shooting suspect remains at large.

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