Woman linked to gun used in 22 Houston-area shootings, authorities say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A ballistics report found that a shell casing recovered at a shots fired call is linked to 21 other shootings in the Houston area, authorities said.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network identified that the same nine millimeter Beretta was used in each of the shootings.

Houston police arrested 31-year-old Kathleen Veal in connection with the most recent shooting.

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said on Oct. 26, a woman later identified as Veal drove past her house very slowly. She thought the woman was looking for someone and asked if she could help.

"She just started cussing and then she started throwing trash on the property," the woman recalled.

The woman said Veal drove to another part of her southside neighborhood and heard shots fired.

"She comes back in front of my unit, and she starts shooting in the air about seven shots," she said.

Over the next two weeks, the mother of two said she ran into Veal several times, including at the bank, at her job, in her neighborhood and outside her home again.

"She starts shooting in the air again," the mother said. "We scream that the kids are outside. I said, 'The kids are outside.' She starts aiming the gun at us."

No one was hit in those instances, according to authorities.

The woman said she did not initially report the woman to police, but when she did, they were able to recover surveillance video and a shell casing.

"I'm really happy that they really got her off the street because anything could have happened," the woman said.

Authorities said no one was hit in the other 21 cases the gun was linked to. It is not clear if Veal is responsible for any of the other shootings.

Veal is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for firing shots in the direction of the mother and her family member in October. She remains in jail with a combined bond of $60,000 on those charges.

Veal was also charged days earlier with unlawful carrying of a weapon, resisting arrest and a drug charge.

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