The wanted man allegedly stole a pickup, pursued relatives and opened fire after two vehicles crashed in northwest Harris County.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Harris County investigators were searching Sunday for a man accused of fatally shooting a relative after a child custody dispute led to a stolen vehicle, a pursuit and crashes that injured several people, including an infant.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said investigators had identified the suspected shooter but had not publicly released his name, photograph or possible location. Officials also had not announced charges as the investigation continued.
Authorities said the chain of events began shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday during a family argument reportedly involving custody of a child. The dispute started near a gas station, where the man allegedly took another person’s red pickup truck.
Other family members attempted to drive away in a silver sedan, but the man followed them in the stolen truck, deputies said. Investigators described the incident as a pursuit, though they did not release its distance, duration or estimated speeds.
The sedan eventually crashed into a ditch in the 12000 block of Veterans Memorial Drive. Three people, including an infant, were ejected from the vehicle and transported to a hospital. Authorities said they were expected to recover.
The pickup crashed nearby and knocked down a gazebo, officials said. A person who had been riding in the truck suffered injuries but was able to leave the wreck on foot. The sheriff’s office did not identify that person or provide an updated medical condition.
Additional relatives arrived after being called to the crash scene. Deputies said an adult male family member approached the man accused of taking the truck, and another confrontation followed.
The suspect drew a gun and shot the approaching relative, investigators said. The wounded man died at the scene, and the shooter fled before deputies arrived or established a perimeter. The victim’s identity had not been released as of Sunday.
Authorities had not said whether the suspect left on foot or in another vehicle. They also had not disclosed whether witnesses provided a detailed description, whether surveillance video captured the events or whether investigators recovered the weapon.
The sheriff’s office was working to determine the sequence of the family dispute, pursuit, crashes and shooting. Investigators had not released information about prior conflicts among those involved or clarified the relationships of every person in the vehicles.
The infant and the other hospitalized crash victims were expected to survive, authorities said. The suspect remained at large Sunday, and the investigation into the fatal shooting and related crashes was ongoing.
Author note: Last updated July 26, 2026.