LEAGUE CITY, Texas — The mayor and League City Police chief plan to meet with homeowners worried about stray bullets hitting homes in the Hidden Lakes subdivision.
“I feel like even when we’re in our homes we’re not safe,” neighbor Karen Nelson said.
In two years, neighbors count 14 homes hit. They mapped each and posted on a neighborhood website.
One round shattered someone’s back door. Another landed on a sidewalk. Others hit walls, even pierced someone’s front door.
“We’ve just been finding bullets everywhere,” a homeowner who did not want to be identified said. “I’m just worried for my children’s safety. I’m just terrified.”
Developers built the subdivision with homes still under construction down range from the four-decades-old, outdoor Clear Creek Shooting Range.
The owner, through staff members, asked KHOU 11 News to leave his property and did not return calls or messages for comment. However, he did allow the NRA to perform an inspection of the facility in 2017, according to League City police.
The range passed. Still, its owner took steps to better insulate neighbors from bullets fired at the range.
Stray bullets remain a problem in the neighborhood, though.
“We just don’t know what we can do,” Nelson said.
Another mom cried while describing how a bullet landed in the roof above her 8-month-old’s room.
Police labeled criminal mischief in their report. They have not found anyone to hold responsible.
“All they’ve told us is they can take the report but nothing can be done, basically until it actually hits a person,” the woman said.
Mayor Pat Hallisey said the city held up development around the range for 20 years. Now, state law prevents city staff from passing law to protect homeowners from range bullets.
“It would be easy to say we could pull their permit,” Hallisey said. “But it’s not that easy. It’s still private property. We can’t force them to sell it.”
City officials plan to push state lawmakers into changing the law protecting the range. At the same time, the mayor and police chief hope range owners make changes on their own.
“I want someone to take responsibility,” Nelson said. “I’m very upset. I’m not saying it’s the gun range’s fault. We’re not against the gun range. They were here first. We’re all for the gun range. We’re just all for our safety.”
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