Shooting in Temple leaves 3 dead, child in critical
TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Investigators spent Thursday morning in and around a house on the northeast side of Temple.
The gunshots there started shortly after 6:00 am according to a neighbor who asked to be identified only as Joe. “I heard about 6. Four and then two more … it's a very quiet neighborhood, (I would) like to keep it that way, but things happen,” said Joe.
When police arrived, they found the body of a woman in front of the house along the 100 Block of West Virginia Avenue. A young boy was nearby and was also shot.
He was taken to Baylor-Scott & White hospital in critical condition.
Temple Police said the alleged gunman barricaded himself inside the home, prompting them to seal off the area. All the noise brought Victor Lemon out of his mother's house which is located up the street.
"Basically this morning my mom's dog was barking like crazy so I stepped outside to see what was going on, by that time the police officer was coming out of the backyard and yelled at us and told us to get back into the house, prior to that, we heard a couple of gunshots,” said Lemon.
Residents were evacuated during the standoff. Investigator say it ended with the gunman shooting himself after he fatally shot another woman who was with him.
Leo Evans, who lives a few doors down, said the people at the house had recently moved in.
"I never spoke to them the last time I saw them I was walking down to a friend of mine house they had a U-Haul out there and they were taking out a washer and dryer I guess they bought a brand new one and we're taking it into the house and that was the last time I've seen them ... it's shocking to see this happen,” said Evans.
Lamar Middle School is across the street from the scene. The school was put in lockdown during the incident. As the school day got underway students were brought in through a side entrance.
With the scene secured students were released early. Those who ride buses were walked out first. They were followed by those who had parents waiting at a nearby park.
Among the parents in the parking lot, was Bobby Johnson. He came to get his daughter after she sent him a text to pick her up. “Yeah, an hour early. I appreciate Temple PD doing their job, I wouldn't have it any other way, but it's just not knowing is the scariest part,” said Johnson.
Nadja Hawkins was also waiting to get her friends two kids.
She's thankful all the students were ok, but is worried what the incident says about the community
"It's still anxiety, because I've lived in Temple for 13 years now and in the last couple years all the shootings we've had, never had them before, the last couple years have been just real crazy when it comes to gun violence in our city which wasn't there before,” said Hawkins.
In a statement released by Temple PD, investigator said the final shots from the gunman were fired just as the SWAT Team had made entry into the home.