Cell phone video shows heated moments before man was killed over 'door ding' at gas station

Thursday, September 16, 2021
Video shows heated moments before man killed over 'door ding'
ABC13 exclusively obtained cellphone footage of the heated moments that led to shots being fired after a 'door ding' incident. WARNING: The video above contains graphic images and may be difficult for some viewers to watch.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The family of a man murdered near Greenspoint is calling the act a blatant disregard of life.

Houston police said they received a call of the shooting at about 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the Valero gas station in the area of Northborough and Meadowfern Drive.

According to investigators, 34-year-old Demrick Thomas and his girlfriend were parked next to another vehicle when he caused a "door ding" to the vehicle next to them.

An altercation between Thomas and a person inside the damaged vehicle took place, escalating into Thomas being shot multiple times.

READ ORIGINAL REPORT: N. Houston gas station shooting may have been sparked by car door hitting another, police say

He was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

Video taken from the passenger side of Thomas' car captured the heated exchange and the moment he stepped out of the car to confront the man.

"Why did you kill my child? I need to know why," said Thomas' mother, Kimberly Jackson, during an interview with ABC13 on Wednesday.

Thomas was a father of seven. His youngest child was two years old.

"She was crying for her father [Tuesday] night," his mother said.

Police said the suspect may have driven away in a white Mercedes.

HPD later released photos of a female person of interest and the Mercedes Benz in question. The vehicle is believed to have been a 2008 to 2012 Mercedes C Class 250, 300 or 350 sedan.

"She was driving a white Mercedes C Class at 11:15 a.m. [Tuesday] at 12800 Northborough when a passenger (suspect) fatally shot a man," police tweeted.

Police say the suspect was last seen in a 2008 to 2012 Mercedes C Class 250, 300 or 350 sedan. Authorities believe a woman, a person of interest, was the driver.
HPD released photos from the incident. On the left, while blurry, police say it's the suspected shooter. The woman on the right is a person of interest.

Police described the suspect as a Black male in a gray hoodie.

Police urged anyone with information to contact HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

For updates on this report, follow ABC13 reporter Stefania Okolie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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