HOUSTON – A mother is mourning the loss of her 4-year-old daughter after she was fatally shot Sunday.
The young girl was just one pf the victims in the overnight quadruple shooting.
According to the Houston Police Department, the incident happened at 10:40 p.m. Sunday at an apartment complex off Gulfton and Westward in southwest Houston.
A truly heartbreaking situation, neighbors say the little girl’s name was Ashley Perdomo.
According to investigators, all four victims were just enjoying a quiet night outside their apartments when it happened.
“We hear shootings a lot, it goes by a lot, but we’ve never heard anything like this,” said Julissa Cardenes, who heard the gunshots while sitting in her truck.
Witnesses say it happened in an instant.
“The two guys were over there, just talking, regular conversation, and then I passed by, and went to my apartment, and then we heard the shooting,” said one neighbor.
Witnesses say they heard a total of five shots, after two men, came up and opened fire at a group of people standing outside a breezeway at the apartment complex.
Hitting 4-year-old Ashley, her mother and two men.
One neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified describes what she did next.
“I walked back to my apartment, and called the police and told them there was a shooting, and told them one of them was dead,” she said.
That man, 31-year-old Miguel Marquez, a father, died at the scene.
Neighbors say, Ashley was cradled by her injured mom until police arrived.
“When the cops got here, that’s when we saw the lady running with the baby girl in her arms, screaming,” said Cardenes.
Sadly, Ashley died at the hospital, the news shocking those who knew her.
“I knew her since she was baby, so it’s hard to know that she’s not here anymore,” said one neighbor.
Witnesses say she and her mom were laughing, enjoying life just moments before the shooting happened.
“To see a baby girl, a 4-year-old get shot in the head, it’s just wrong,” said Cardenes.
They’re now hoping justice is served, and police will catch the shooters, who are still on the loose.
“I have never experienced this, but I’m actually really scared, because they’re out there, and you don’t know what they can do.”
Ashely’s mother is expected to survive, the other victim, a 30-year old man remains in critical condition.
Right now police aren’t sure about the motive behind the shooting, and they are still looking for the suspect or suspects. Police at the scene said there were two male suspects, but a later press release indicated
there was only one suspect. A detailed description of the gunman was not immediately available.
Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
(Editor's note: Police earlier indicated the child victim's age was 5 years old, however, they later updated the girl's age to be 4 years old.)