16-year-old found dead in Fort Bend Houston backyard was in shootout with mystery driver, HPD says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 16-year-old's last moments on Wednesday were spent running from a mystery driver's gunfire before climbing a fence into a backyard and collapsing, Houston Police Department investigators said.

On Thursday, HPD provided follow-up information a day after officers received a shooting call in the 6300 block of Costa Mesa Street in a neighborhood where Houston city limits overlap with unincorporated Fort Bend County.

The county's medical examiner identified 16-year-old Elijah Authorlee as the person found with multiple gunshots.

On Wednesday, after the incident, HPD Lt. Bryan Bui initially told reporters that the victim was an occupant inside a maroon or red four-door sedan with tinted windows when the shooting took place. Investigators said they recovered 13 shots believed to have been fired between the victim and the vehicle's driver.

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Neighbors also told police the suspect got out screaming, "I got hit," according to Bui.

An HPD news release affirmed that the victim was armed and exchanged fire with the unknown driver during a brief encounter.

Authorlee, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, ran and jumped a fence into the backyard of a home where he was located, police said.

The suspect was nowhere to be found when police responded. HPD couldn't disclose a motive or a suspect description.

Bui said the home where Authorlee's body was found had no relation with the victim.

Police are urging anyone with information on the case to contact HPD's Homicide Division or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.