Baytown police kill man accused of shooting 4 people, killing 2 of them

BAYTOWN, Texas (KTRK) -- Baytown police officers shot and killed a suspect they believe shot four people in two locations miles apart on Wednesday night. Two of the people shot by the suspect died.

Police identified the suspect who was killed as 33-year-old Ron Welch from Baytown.

At about 6:30 p.m., officers responded to a call of two people who had been shot inside a car, a man and a woman, at Tri City Beach Road near Evergreen Road.

The male victim of that shooting died at the scene, police said. The woman survived and is expected to be OK.

Baytown police then received a second call of a shooting at Bay Oaks Harbor Trailer Park, where another man and woman were shot, a few doors down from where Welch lived.

The man was flown to the hospital, where he later died.

The second woman's injuries were non-life threatening, officials said.

Shortly after the second shooting, witnesses told officers they saw Welch driving back toward the first scene on Tri City Beach Road.

When Welch arrived, police said he confronted the officers. That's when officers shot Welch, killing him.

Baytown Police Chief John Stringer said the officers were "forced to discharge their weapons."

Police believe all four people allegedly shot by Welch were his neighbors at Bay Oaks Harbor Trailer Park, though the motive of the shootings was unclear.

The medical examiner's office has identified one of the victims killed as George Keene.

The others have not been named.

No officers were hurt in the shooting.

The officers involved were placed on paid administration leave pending the ongoing investigation.

A search of court records show that Welch was sentenced to at least seven years behind bars over the years for various crimes.