Man shot and killed at SE Houston apartment complex

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man was shot and killed at an apartment complex in southeast Houston overnight.

Homicide detectives confirmed the man was shot and killed in the 1200 block of Redford off the Gulf Freeway and Edgebrook around 4:25 a.m.

Houston police have not released information about the victim or what could have led up to the deadly shooting.

This is at least the 31st homicide of 2021, in just the first 28 days of the year.

According to data, during the same period in 2020, the Houston area reported 21 homicides.

Chief Art Acevedo says a back-logged court system is partially to blame.

"We have got to get our criminal justice system up and running. We can't afford to have close to 2,000 charged murderers here, running free, committing more crimes," Acevedo said Wednesday.

Last month, Action 13 investigator Ted Oberg uncovered that 50,000 felony cases are still waiting trial in the Houston area.

The surge, in part, is due to pandemic-related shutdowns, homicide detectives say.