Investigation underway after about 20 shots fired, striking woman at her home in Galveston

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Galveston Police Department is looking for witnesses to a Wednesday night shooting that left an 18-year-old woman injured.

Investigators said the 18-year-old was shot in her back at her house on Avenue M near 54th Street at about 10:15 p.m.

An Eyewitness News crew counted 20 bullet holes in the home and another bullet hole in the windshield of a truck parked several houses down.

"I heard a 'Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!' And at first, I thought it was maybe a string of little firecrackers," Mark Dillard, who lives several streets over from the shooting, said.

Police quickly arrived since officers were already close enough to hear the gunshots for themselves, but the shooter, or shooters, were long gone.

"The big question is, why? Why did this happen?" Sgt. Derek Gaspard with the Galveston Police Department questioned.

Police spoke with a handful of witnesses and hope to talk to as many more as possible. Investigators said the process has been challenging.

"Something of this caliber when there are dozens of shell casings in a roadway, you have witnesses that have spread across the entire city. If somebody left in a vehicle or on foot," Gaspard said.

Neighbors are promising to keep their eyes peeled.

"I'll be on the lookout for some sketchy characters," Dillard said.

Dillard said he hears shootings about once a month but is surprised to learn about the one on Wednesday night.

"This is Galveston, man. This (expletive) ain't supposed to happen. People only act (like a) fool on Friday and Saturday night," Dillard said.

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