According to Houston police, one of the thieves was later found shot to death after he and the other suspects crashed in a white BMW while trying to escape the gunfire.
Officers received calls of a shooting in the 9600 block of Long Point at about 6:30 a.m.
Investigators said three to four males were stealing catalytic converters from a parked Toyota Tacoma at the corner of Long Point and Springrock when they were shot at by a person or people.
The suspects then jumped into a white BMW, crashed into a woman in another vehicle, then crashed into the fence of a daycare playground where there were no children at the time, police said.
The suspects bailed on foot, but one of them collapsed after running for about 50 yards. Police said that person suffered a wound to the chest and died.
Despite the chaos, neither the remaining suspects nor the reported good Samaritans were at the scene when police arrived.
The innocent woman who crashed with the BMW wasn't seriously injured, and the person who owns the targeted Toyota told ABC13 that she doesn't know any of the people who shot at the suspects.
The identity of the dead thief was not immediately disclosed.
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