An 11-year-old boy and three adults were hospitalized after gunfire at a Fifth Ward apartment complex.
HOUSTON, Texas — An 11-year-old boy and three adults were injured Thursday evening when a dispute over trash at a Fifth Ward apartment complex escalated into gunfire between two groups, Houston police said.
The shooting was reported in the 5300 block of Coke Street, where police said people in adjoining apartments had been arguing for hours. The victims included two women, a male victim and the child. Police said the injuries were not expected to be fatal, and possible suspects were detained after officers stopped a vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting.
Houston police Lt. Larry Crowson said the conflict began when one group was moving out and throwing trash into a courtyard. The argument continued for several hours before one side fired at the other, he said. The second group then returned fire. Officers from the Northeast Patrol Division and Patrol Support responded after the shooting was reported.
The boy suffered a graze wound to the leg, police said. Another male victim was grazed on the head. Two women were also shot and taken to hospitals. Police did not immediately release their names or detailed conditions, but officials said all four victims were expected to survive. Investigators had not said whether any of the wounded people were among those accused of firing weapons.
Police said several people from each group appeared to be involved, making the investigation more complex. Officers secured the area, spoke with witnesses and worked to identify who fired first and who returned fire. A vehicle believed to contain possible suspects was stopped after the incident, and the people inside were detained while detectives continued their work.
No charges had been publicly announced by early Friday. Police had not released the number of people detained, the number of weapons recovered or whether surveillance video from the complex had been found. Investigators were expected to review physical evidence from the courtyard and nearby apartments before deciding what charges, if any, should be referred to prosecutors.
The shooting turned a neighborhood dispute into a large police response in one of Houston’s older residential areas. The Fifth Ward, northeast of downtown, includes apartment complexes, single-family homes and small businesses. On Coke Street, police described the conflict as a dispute tied to trash in a shared outdoor space, not a random attack.
The investigation remained active Friday. Police said the four wounded people were expected to survive, and detectives were still working to identify each person’s role in the exchange of gunfire.
Author note: Last updated June 26, 2026.