16-year-old found dead in wooded area after neighbor reported gunshots in Atascocita, deputies say
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A 16-year-old boy was found shot to death near a heavily wooded area in Atascocita on Sunday evening, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said. So far, no one is in custody.
Sheriff's deputies were called to the 5300 block of Deer Timbers Trail just before 6:30 p.m.
According to officials, the victim was gathered with several other teens near the dead-end street earlier in the day before the shooting happened. Detectives said teens often hang out in the area.
Deputies said there were multiple shots fired near the neighborhood, with at least one round hitting a nearby home, according to a preliminary investigation.
Harris County Precinct 4 deputies arrived at the area after receiving a 911 call and began to search for shell casings when they happened upon the victim's body.
The 16-year-old boy was lying in the grass at the end of the street, investigators said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Family members identified the victim as Jacob Cain.
Jacob reportedly lived nearby and was not alone when the shooting happened. The other teens took off after the shooting, so investigators don't have much information about why Jacob was shot or who the suspect is, deputies said.
"We believe he was down here with several other individuals prior to the shooting. None of those individuals stuck around afterwards, to talk to anyone, so we are in the process of trying to identify people he was with prior to the shooting," Det. Jason Brown said. "Once we do that, we will probably get a better idea about exactly what went on."
Investigators said a suspect has not been identified yet.
Anyone with information about what happened is encouraged to call the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
