Posted on 03/03/2004 2:48:56 PM PST by kinghorse
A woman shot during a robbery attempt in an upscale shopping center in the Rice Village this afternoon is expected to survive, police said.
The 30-year-old woman was shot once, the bullet traveling from her left arm into her left breast and exiting through her right breast. She was in surgery at Ben Taub Hospital this afternoon and was reported to be in good condition.
She had gone to the shopping center to collect money from a client.
Leaving a blood-spattered trail, she ran a long distance from her car to a nearby restaurant for help after the incident occurred about 2:10 p.m.
The woman told people trying to help her that she was in her 2001 Nissan Maxima in the parking garage of the Village Arcade Shopping Center, in the 2400 block of University near Morningside, when the gunman accosted her on the driver's side of her car.
He had pulled a pistol on her and told her "move over," said Houston Police Sgt. Al Giraldo. They struggled before she escaped through the passenger side of the car.
The gunman got away with her purse.
It was not immediately known what the gunman was after -- but it may have been an attempted carjacking, police said. Nearby shopkeepers reported hearing a scream and gunshots.
"I heard a scream, then a shot, then more screams," said Tito Briceno, who works at an Eddie Bauer store nearby. "It's a horrible thing, especially in this area. ... She said she didn't know this person. She was losing a lot of blood."
Witnesses sitting outside one of the shopping center's restaurants said they were just having their first beer when the wounded woman ran up asking for help.
"She was amazingly calm -- she told me everything that happened," said Dee Anna Chappell, a juvenile probation officer from the Dallas area.
"She was running and running and running. And we were like, 'Sweetheart, you need to sit down.'
"I don't think if I had been shot like that that I'd have handled it as well as she did," Chappell said.
The victim was coherent enough to tell bystanders her dog is in the hospital, Chappell said.
The woman was apparently taken by surprise since her keys were still in the ignition.
A large notepad was dropped on the ground outside the car.
She ran into Kubo's Sushi Bar & Grill, where employees tried to keep her calm until paramedics arrived.
"It took the ambulance 15 to 17 minutes to get here. I couldn't believe it. Here in the medical center," said Ryan Snyder, assistant manager at Kubo's.
The woman described the man who took her purse as a white man, about 30 years old, black hair, possible eyeglasses, and wearing a black jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.
Shortly after the shooting, a security guard saw another man with a purse under his arm who may have been the gunman's accomplice, Giraldo said.
That man ran away when security approached him. He is described as white, about 30, with a bald head and a beard, about 5-foot-11, wearing a gray jogging suit with a white stripe.
Both men remain at large.
I saw this first hand last night in another part of town, similar circumstances although no shots were fired.
I was filling up my car at the Exxon on Memorial and Highway 6 around 7:00 PM. While inside the store a lady came in to report someone in a dark colored small SUV/Jeep (actually and man and a woman) pulled a gun on her while she was gassing up and told her to give them her purse. She said no, another car pulled up at the same time and the crooks got nervous and drove off. She said she thought they had a toy gun. Incredibly lucky of her to avoid getting shot.
I guess they came up on the HWY 6 side where she was gassing up because it would be easy off, easy on and a short trip to I-10 without a chance of being blocked in while trying to leave the station.
We called the police for her while inside the station and she filed her report. Be alert.
"Witnesses sitting outside one of the shopping center's restaurants said they were just having their first beer when the wounded woman ran up asking for help."
having their first beer at two in the afternoon? Odd.
They must have overslept. :P
Yeah, most are on their third or fourth by then.
You've never been to Houston, have you?
Just joking, everyone.
Very odd. By 2:00 p.m.,they should have been on their third or fourth pint.
But not really…
I lived around Houston from 2 years of age until about 25 years of age. Spent a lot of time in SE Texas and SW Louisiana afterwards. There were entire years where we’d have a 12 pack in us by noon… the serious drinking started later on after work.
That’s not a lie or exaggeration, BTW.
I understand Xena's Guy ... but Dread Boston Salty ? Do we want to know ?
OMG! THAT'S M...
I mean, I've been Freeping all day. How have you been?
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