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http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4968516.html



July 14, 2007, 6:46PM
Pet store owner accidentally shoots, kills woman


By ANITA HASSAN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The owner of a northwest Houston business who was trying to stop a man from entering the place of business Friday night accidentally shot and killed a woman, officials said.

Gloria Cruz, 31, was shot in the head outside Sunny Fish and Pets, in the 2900 block of Gears Road about 10:30 p.m.,officials said. She died at the scene.

Able Abrego told investigators he would not let the man in because he looked suspicious and thought he was going to commit a crime, said Sheriff's Department spokesman Sgt. Dana Wolfe.

Abrego got his shotgun when he saw the man was carrying a handgun, Wolfe said.

While letting other patrons in, Abrego told investigators the man began walking toward the door, Wolfe said. Fearing for his safety, Abrego shot at the man but struck Cruz, who stepped in the path of the bullet.

The man then fled on Gears Road toward Veterans Memorial on foot, officials said.

He was wearing a white T-shirt and stonewashed (faded) blue-denim pants. Investigators think he may have been shot during the incident, officials said.

No charges have been filed. Wolfe said the case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the man who fled the scene in this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

anita.hassan@chron.com

He is going to prison for a long long time... The GJ is gonna feel real sorry for the vic...

BrassMonkey wrote:He is going to prison for a long long time... The GJ is gonna feel real sorry for the vic...

Agreed. He will be sending many years behind bars. THere is no defense in killing a innoncent victim even in if he was justified in keeping the other man out of his store (which I doubt anyway).

Not only is he going to jail for a long time, but he will paying out huge in a wrongful death suit. His family is screwed.

It was referred to the Grand Jury without charges, so either the police, the DA or both don't think there's a reason to charge him. The GJ might disagree, but we know we can't rely on the Chronicle for accurate reporting!

As for a civil suit, you bet that's coming. But we also don't know how the accidental shooting happened, so not even that's a guaranteed winner.

Chas.

Abrego got his shotgun when he saw the man was carrying a handgun, Wolfe said.

While letting other patrons in, Abrego told investigators the man began walking toward the door, Wolfe said. Fearing for his safety, Abrego shot at the man but struck Cruz, who stepped in the path of the bullet.

Can you give any credence to this story?

Shotgun charge or bullet, it's going 1,000 feet per second when it leaves the muzzle. You can't "step in front of it" like it was a steam locomotive.

- Jim

It is wonderful though, isn't it, that journalism majors need no education or experience in the subjects about which they write?

Skiprr wrote:It is wonderful though, isn't it, that journalism majors need no education or experience in the subjects about which they write?

I *was* a journalism major once. Until I found out I hated it. They make you write on a fourth grade level so that the general populace can understand it.

govnor wrote:

Skiprr wrote:It is wonderful though, isn't it, that journalism majors need no education or experience in the subjects about which they write?

I *was* a journalism major once. Until I found out I hated it. They make you write on a fourth grade level so that the general populace can understand it.

...and the journalist who wrote this article failed at even that. The sentence "While letting other patrons in, Abrego told investigators the man began walking toward the door, Wolfe said." had me scratching my head for a good while, until I realized it was missing a comma. It reads like the shop owner was still letting customers into the store after the shooting, while talking to the investigators.

You are responsible for the projectile(s) that leave the barrel of your weapon. The exact circumstances of the incident don't make much difference when you kill an innocent person.

The store owner pulled the trigger and an innocent bystander died. He didn't mean to kill her, so it's probably going to be manslaughter.

Circumstances/etc can have a lot to do with how he is sentenced... but I think that he will be both charged and convicted. Heck, I think he would have probably been charged (rightfully) if he had hit the guy he was aiming at. You can't shoot someone because you THINK they are going to commit a crime.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4968516.html

Woman killed outside apparent gambling operation

By ANITA HASSAN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The owner of what authorities described as an illegal game room in northwest Harris County accidentally shot and killed a woman while trying to stop a man from entering his place Friday night, officials said.

Gloria Cruz, 31, was shot in the head outside the game room, fronting as Sunny Fish and Pets, in the 2900 block of Gears about 10:30 p.m., said sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Dana Wolfe. Cruz died at the scene.

Able Abrego told investigators he would not let the man into the game room, which contained 8-liner machines, because he looked suspicious, Wolfe said.

Abrego got his shotgun when he saw the man was carrying a handgun, Wolfe said.

While letting other patrons in, Abrego told investigators the man began walking toward the door, Wolfe said. Fearing for his safety, Abrego shot at the man but struck Cruz, who stepped in the path of the bullet.

The man then fled on Gears toward Veterans Memorial on foot, officials said.

He was wearing a white T-shirt and stonewashed jeans. Investigators think he may have been shot during the incident, officials said.

Wolfe said the case will be referred to a Harris County grand jury. Anyone with information in this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

anita.hassan@chron.com

This sounds like a crowded room or something to me. "Stepped into the path of the bullet" How in the world does that happen? I'm with Seamus on this one... sounds like something else is up.

He is in for a world of trouble.

Update: he wasn't protecting guppies and puppies.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4968516.html

July 14, 2007, 9:48PM
Woman killed outside apparent gambling operation

By ANITA HASSAN

The owner of what authorities described as an illegal game room in northwest Harris County accidentally shot and killed a woman while trying to stop a man from entering his place Friday night, officials said.

Gloria Cruz, 31, was shot in the head outside the game room, fronting as Sunny Fish and Pets, in the 2900 block of Gears about 10:30 p.m., said sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Dana Wolfe. Cruz died at the scene.

Able Abrego told investigators he would not let the man into the game room, which contained 8-liner machines, because he looked suspicious, Wolfe said.

KBCraig wrote:Update: he wasn't protecting guppies and puppies.

http://chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4968516.html

July 14, 2007, 9:48PM
Woman killed outside apparent gambling operation

By ANITA HASSAN

The owner of what authorities described as an illegal game room in northwest Harris County accidentally shot and killed a woman while trying to stop a man from entering his place Friday night, officials said.

Gloria Cruz, 31, was shot in the head outside the game room, fronting as Sunny Fish and Pets, in the 2900 block of Gears about 10:30 p.m., said sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Dana Wolfe. Cruz died at the scene.

Able Abrego told investigators he would not let the man into the game room, which contained 8-liner machines, because he looked suspicious, Wolfe said.

um i already posted the updated story

Now we just need an HPD spokesman who looks a lot like Claude Rains to tell us how shocked they are about the gambling.

I mean, really; mom and pop pet stores are hardly high traffic businesses, but nobody noticed a bunch of people disappearing into the pet store for hours at a time?