HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — There were a lot of concerns raised by Bellaire residents Saturday evening after a shooting last weekend shook the community, which many say is linked to a problem house.
For the people living on or near Merrie Lane in Bellaire, they can't help but notice the house.
"I walk by it three times a day it has cameras all over the place, the windows blocked out," one resident said.
Bellaire Police Chief Onesimo Lopez said the house has received numerous complaints since May of last year over alleged illicit activity.
"It involved individuals going into the house all hours of the night, day and night to go in there, pulling up to the house staying for a few minutes and leaving," Lopez said.
Those concerns boiled over after a shooting outside the property last weekend leading many to voice their frustrations at a public safety meeting Saturday.
No arrests in that shooting have been made.
"This makes us unsafe, you guys are here to protect us and we don't feel protected at all and you're giving us one excuse after another excuse and I know the investigation is ongoing but what am I going to tell my son who wants to play outside? We have actually showed the kids where to hide if there is gunfire next time," said another concerned resident.
Court documents show a search warrant was issued for the property in February after police responded to an alarm call at the home. Police smelled weed inside.
During the search, investigators said they seized hundreds of pounds of marijuana and marijuana seeds, but the chief said no charges were ever filed and no arrests were made.
"We had reason to believe that it wasn’t even occupied and there were renovations ongoing which would explain why it wasn’t occupied," Lopez said.
Neighbors are now asking the city to take drastic measures.
"Can you pull the certificate of occupancy of that house on Merrie Lane? Can you also shut down the water? Can you also shut down the sewer line? Can you ask Center Point to secure the power?" asked one frustrated resident at Saturday's meeting.
"We definitely want to respond to the residents' concerns and we also want to do it in such a way that ensures that everybody’s rights are observed and protected," Lopez said.
The chief said an ongoing investigation is still underway on the property and they have increased patrols on Merrie Lane to ensure safety.
They're asking neighbors to continue reporting any suspicious activity.