The boy was pronounced dead at the scene after a 2 p.m. call brought Harris County deputies to an apartment near Beltway 8.
HUMBLE, TX — A 13-year-old boy was found shot to death Sunday afternoon inside an apartment in the Humble area, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said. Deputies were called shortly after 2 p.m. to a complex along the North Sam Houston Parkway near Wilson Road, where emergency crews found the teen on the floor and could not revive him.
Authorities said homicide detectives and crime scene technicians are investigating how the gunfire began and who was involved. As of late Sunday, investigators had not announced any arrests or identified a suspect. The Sheriff’s Office said it is working to determine whether the shooting was accidental or intentional and to document who was present in the unit at the time. The case is in the early stages, with interviews and evidence collection continuing into Monday. The shooting underscores continuing questions about youth access to firearms in the Houston region and comes as the agency reviews nearby surveillance video and canvasses neighbors for witnesses.
Deputies were dispatched after a 911 caller reported a juvenile had been shot inside the residence, officials said. When first responders arrived, they found the teen with at least one gunshot wound and pronounced him dead at the scene. “He suffered from at least one gunshot wound,” Sgt. Michael Ritchie of the Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit said at the scene. Ritchie said detectives are reviewing the apartment and surrounding common areas for physical evidence and potential surveillance footage. Several patrol units blocked off the building entrance with crime-scene tape as residents filtered in and out of the complex on a warm Sunday afternoon. Investigators could be seen going door to door and speaking with people who might have heard or seen anything around the time of the gunfire.
Officials said multiple people were in or near the apartment when the shooting occurred, but the agency has not released the boy’s name or described his relationship to others at the scene. The Sheriff’s Office said it remains unknown whether a family member, visitor or peer fired the weapon. Detectives are checking for any prior calls to the unit and have requested video from nearby cameras to establish a precise timeline. A woman who arrived after the gunfire placed the original emergency call, according to preliminary accounts provided on scene. The apartment sits near the Beltway 8 frontage road in northeast Harris County, a high-traffic corridor lined with housing complexes and small retail centers. Authorities did not recover or publicly identify the firearm on Sunday and did not discuss its ownership or storage.
Records show the Sheriff’s Office responds to a range of calls in the area, including disturbances and noise complaints typical of large apartment communities. Sunday’s shooting is separate from prior high-profile incidents involving minors in the county, but the agency said each case follows the same evidence-driven process: secure the scene, interview witnesses, collect shell casings and fingerprints, and document the interior and exterior of the location. Detectives will review any prior contacts at the address and compare statements to physical evidence. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences will conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death and confirm the teen’s identity, which will be released once next of kin are notified.
Investigators said next steps include formal interviews with everyone who was inside the apartment and a search for additional witnesses who may have been outside when the shot was fired. Evidence technicians are expected to test any recovered weapon and compare ballistics to markings found at the scene. If charges are filed, they would be reviewed by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, which handles both juvenile and adult cases depending on a suspect’s age and the evidence presented. Officials did not set a public briefing time for Monday, but said updates would be shared after key interviews and the autopsy report. Any potential court filings would list the precise offense and narrative of probable cause, including who investigators believe fired the shot and under what circumstances.
Residents described a heavy deputy presence through the afternoon as yellow tape closed off part of the parking lot and a stairwell near the unit. Several neighbors said they were returning from weekend errands when they saw cruisers racing up the frontage road and medics carrying equipment into the building. “We heard one loud pop and then sirens,” said a man who lives on an upper floor and asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak for the complex. A woman walking a child past the tape paused, shook her head and said quietly that many parents in the area know each other but had not expected to see officers stationed outside on a Sunday.
As of early Monday, investigators had not released further details on the teen’s identity or whether any suspects had been detained. Detectives planned to continue interviews and process additional evidence gathered overnight. The Sheriff’s Office said a clearer timeline is expected after the autopsy and after officers finish reviewing video from the complex.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.