White van tied to teen's deadly shooting found by police

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Thursday, July 18, 2019
Teen with gunshot wound runs to chicken restaurant for help
Police are searching for at least two suspects who shot and killed a teen near an H-E-B store and Hartz Chicken drive-thru in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND, Texas (KTRK) -- A white van wanted after a teenager was shot to death in broad daylight near an H-E-B gas station has been found.

Cleveland police said they worked through the night, following tips they hope will lead to the teen's killers.

A van matching the description of a vehicle at the scene of the shooting was recovered Thursday on Houston's south side.

Investigators are going through the van, searching for additional evidence in the shooting.

The shooting happened around 2:14 p.m. Wednesday at Truly Plaza on Highway 105 and Washington.

The victim was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Broussard said the victim was shot while sitting inside a parked red truck near the H-E-B gas station and Hartz Chicken drive-thru, then staggered to the fast food restaurant for help.

"He pretty much tapped the side of the car and slumped over and hit the ground," Broussard said.

A Hartz employee told us good Samaritans rushed to action, doing everything they could to keep him alive, making sure he was not alone.

"They were checking his pulse, they were saying it was too low," Angel Martinez said.

Police say the red truck and a white van were acting suspiciously hours before the shooting.

The chief says they were both parked in the H-E-B parking lot, where they sat for some time without anyone getting out of the cars. Then they left and later returned.

That's when Broussard says a man from the van got into the red truck, and within seconds shots were fired.

The white van and red truck sped off, leaving the victim behind.

That red truck was later found burning in a ditch, 10 miles south of town in the community of Plum Grove.

Police say at least two people are considered suspects.

Police urged anyone with information on the case to call 281-592-2622 or Crime Stoppers at 800-392-7867.