According to police, the shooting occurred at approximately 8:21 a.m. at the end of Dryad Street near Westbury High School in southwest Houston. HPD police Chief Noe Diaz said the shooting happened in an area where students reportedly gather before school every morning.
"Someone came out of a wooded area nearby at a nearby [apartment] complex and from that we believe some words were exchanged and someone produced a handgun and unfortunately someone lost their life as a result of what I call a cowardly act," Diaz said during a press conference Friday morning.
Sign up for the Hello, Houston! daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox. In an email, the press office for the Houston Independent School District said the high school was operating in "Secure" mode "while HPD investigates an incident in the area." The victim had not yet been identified, but police confirmed he was a 17-year-old senior of Westbury High School.
As of Friday morning, a suspect was not in custody, but Diaz said investigators "have an idea of who we're looking for." According to police, the high school was not placed in lockdown, and classes had resumed.
Diaz said the Texas Department of Public Safety was assisting with the investigation. This is the second shooting near a Houston-area school this week after a 14-year-old was arrested Wednesday after a 15-year-old was shot and killed outside a Spring ISD high school.