Shooting at Lone Star College Near Houston - Not a Mass Casualty Event

A fight between two men at the North Harris County campus of Lone Star College turned into a gun fight leaving three people shot and both suspects in custody. According to sources in the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office, "This was not a mass casualty type of event where someone came to school with the intent of killing people."

Precinct 4 Deputies were the first police to respond to the incident which occured around the noon hour. One of the suspects fled the scene of the shooting causing a "lockdown" of nearby public schools in the Aldine Independent School District. This lockdown has since been lifted with the second shooting suspect in custody.

KHOU, Houston's Channel 11 reported the suspect turned himself in at Northwest Medical Center with a possible gunshot wound. Click here for aerial photos of the scene from KHOU.

I spoke this afternoon with Constable Ron Hickman, Harris County Precinct 4, about this issue. Hickman told me that shootings in schools are something that they are deeply concerned about and are working on response plans. His precinct is home to 6 very large independent school districts, in addition to various college campus locations. "We will continue to look at our response plans for these types of events to ensure an efficient and effective response to any type of shooting on a school campus."

Hickman stressed the importance on inter-agency communication in responding to these types of incidents. These are obviously high priority to all law enforcement agencies and, as in this incident, many law enforcement agencies respond at the same time. "Communication is critical," Hickman explained.

Texas State Representative Debbie Riddle, (R-Tomball) responded to the shooting with a very personal message on her Facebook page as her son was on the campus when the shooting occured. Riddle said, "This shooting at Lone Star College will certainly be used by the far left to attack our Second Amendment rights. What they fail to recognize is that the bad guys will always get guns. The have little interest in getting them legally. It is the legal gun owners that the left are going after - another attack on our freedom. Congresswoman Shelia Jackson (where's the camera?) Lee certainly will use this to her advantage and get plenty of TV time in attacking our rights. Folks, we are our own first responders in an emergency. One of my sons was there and was in the "lock down" at Lone Star College - he did NOT have his gun because it is not legal to do so at a college. Had the shooter broken into where he and others were hunkered down they would have been easy targets for an execution type killing. Gun free zones make it easy for bad guys who have no respect for the law - most folks would never put a "Gun Free Zone" sign in front of their home - soooo if it is NOT good to have in front of your home why is it Ok for the schools where our kids attend???? We must be able to defend and protect ourselves and our families - period - that is our right and our duty - regardless of what Queen Shelia has to say."

In a related story, Texas State Senator Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) this week introduced a bill in the Texas Legislature to allow for licensed gun owners to be able to carry concealed firearms on college campuses.  Senate Bill 182 is supported by 13 other senators who are listed as authors of the bill. Those being, Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, Sen. Robert Deuell, R-Greenville, Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, Sen. Ken Paxton, R-McKinney, Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood and Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands.

I am currently awaiting a response from the Harris County Sheriff's Office about some additional information regarding the suspects and the weapons used in today's shooting.