25-year-old killed in north Houston bar shooting that injured 5 others

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- As Houston police look for the suspect and motive into a mass shooting at a bar in north Houston, authorities are now identifying a man who died after the shots were fired.

According to Houston police, 25-year-old Jesus Meza was one of six people shot at Sammie J's Bar and Grill on North Houston Rosslyn Road at about 8:40 p.m. Thursday night.

Meza was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Five other people, include three men and two women, were also taken to local hospitals. One of the women is in critical condition, while the other wounded victims were stable.

It wasn't clear who was involved or what happened to the gunman.

Eyewitness News spoke with a woman who said she was dating Meza and was on the phone with him when the shooting happened. She said she wants people to know he had a big heart and was a great father to his two young sons.

Regulars at Sammie J's Bar and Grill said it is a neighborhood spot and it's out of the ordinary for something like this to happen.

In the wake of the shooting, Eyewitness News learned Friday that the incident occurred as a fundraising benefit was being held at the bar to honor a shooting victim who was killed the week before.

The violence at the bar qualifies as a mass shooting, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

It's at least the 380th mass shooting in the U.S. this year. The shooting is the 14th this week in the nation.

It's also the third in Texas this week alone.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.