Two Dead in Houston Freeway Shooting

A shooting in the middle of a Houston, Texas freeway during rush hour has left two people dead. The Houston Police Department has confirmed that two men were killed on the I-10 East Freeway at John Ralston Road. Witnesses said two suspects got out of their car just before 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 8, then opened fire on two individuals in another vehicle.

Police say the gunman is a Hispanic male in his early 20s, approximately 5’7″ tall with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a red shirt. The shooter and his accomplice fled in a newer model, dark-colored four-door sedan, with unknown license plates.

The freeway was closed for several hours as detectives investigated the scene. Houston drivers were asked to take alternate routes.

A Local Reporter Witnessed the Shooting

Daniel Gotera with KHOU witnessed the incident and tweeted, “A guy gets out of his car with gun just shooting in the middle of the freeway. Unbelievable.”

Houston Police Department Assistant Chief of Criminal Investigations Bobby Dobbins held a press conference approximately two hours after the shooting.

One Car Rammed the Other, Causing the Driver to Lose Control

According to Dobbins, two vehicles were heading eastbound on the freeway. The suspects’ unidentified vehicle struck the victims’ silver four-door sedan, causing the driver to lose control.

Two suspects got out of the car and one began to fire at the silver sedan they’d struck. “From what witnesses say, one vehicle rammed the other and spun that vehicle. And that vehicle was rolling downhill,” Dobbins explained.

The gunman followed the sedan as it rolled downhill and continued to shoot. When the victims’ car came to a stop in the middle lane of the interstate, the shooter walked in front of the sedan and began firing rounds into the front windshield. The weapon was described as a long rifle similar to an AR-15.

“This is a scary event to happen at 6 o’clock at night,” Dobbins said.

A Driver Who Witnessed the Attack Shot at the Gunman

One driver who had a gun in his car for self-protection, saw the shooter turn and look at him. Thinking he would also be shot, the witness fired his gun, causing the assailant to get back into his vehicle and flee the scene. It’s unknown if the gunman was injured.

The victims have been identified by KHOU as Binel Gasery, 33, and Bradley James Barker, 25. Dobbins noted that narcotics were found in the victims’ car but does not know if they are tied to the shooting. Law enforcement sources told ABC 13 that a large garbage bag filled with marijuana was in the sedan.

The Motive is Currently Unknown

The motive for the shooting is under investigation. “As crazy as things are right now in our society, was this a road rage incident and these guys just happened to have narcotics in the car? Was it an accident that occurred and one driver got mad? We just don’t know anymore,” Dobbins said.

Dobbins believes that witness accounts and descriptions are hazy because most drivers who saw the two cars but didn’t witness the shooting didn’t pay attention, assuming they were passing an accident on the freeway.

The Houston Police Department is asking that anyone who passed the two vehicles, suspects or victims on the freeway contact authorities share what they may have seen. “Anything [witnesses] know is going to help us,” he explained. Witnesses can call (713)308-3600 or (713) 222-TIPS.

Dobbins is confident the case will be solved. He emphasized that the crime was committed in broad daylight in front a dozens of witnesses. “Our goal is to catch these guys and we fully intend to do that,” he said.

This is a developing story.