Four die, five hurt in area’s night of violence

Four people died and at least five others were wounded in a spate of shootings and stabbings that started Tuesday evening and continued through the night in the Houston area, according to authorities.

Anthony Brown Jr., 38, was gunned down around 6:40 p.m. in a breezeway of an apartment complex at 8405 Broadway, with police saying there were several suspects.

Hours later, two men were found dead of gunshot wounds — both in cars. Around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office deputies were dispatched to a shooting in the 6000 block of Pincay Oaks in Greater Inwood, where a person had been shot while driving. The motorist then rolled into an intersection and hit a parked car.

The vehicle was registered to a city in West Texas and police were unsure if the driver was from out of town.

About a half-hour later, Houston police found a crashed car in a ditch along the 9200 block of Helmers in the Northside neighborhood. There a man had also been shot. Investigators found bullet holes in the windshield and spoke to neighbors who reported hearing multiple gunshots.

A fourth man was stabbed to death at an apartment in the 12800 block of Dunlap around 1:45 a.m. A neighbor, who declined to be identified, said he heard an argument at the apartment and then flashing lights from the police. Police had no additional details as of Wednesday morning.

Several people were wounded overnight as well.

A pregnant Jack in the Box cashier — who is about six months along — was shot around 9:30 p.m. during an attempted robbery at 2218 Little York eatery, police said. A customer pulled a

weapon on her, shot her in the buttocks and fled. She is expected to survive, according to authorities.

A statement from the fast food chain said the employee has since been released from the hospital

Another man was shot in the back in the 5800 block of Fondren

around 1:30 a.m. and two men were shot at a gas station parking lot around 10:30 p.m. at Antoine and Tidwell.

Around 6:45 p.m., an 18-yearold was shot in the back while walking along the 9600 block of West Montgomery Road in Acres Homes. The assailant opened fire from a vehicle that had made a Uturn to reach him.