HOUSTON — A suspected gunman died Monday morning after injuring several people at a southwest Houston strip mall.
Police confirmed that the gunman, whose name has not been released, was shot and killed by officers. Authorities believe he was the lone shooter.
Interim Houston Police Chief Martha Montalvo said the gunman was a lawyer who lived in the area, "and there were issues concerning his law firm."
She declined to further discuss possible motives behind the shooting.
Speaking with KTRK, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner described the gunman as a "disgruntled lawyer."
Three people were treated for their injuries and released at the scene. Authorities took six other people to local hospitals for treatment. Of those, one person was in critical condition on Monday morning. One person was in serious condition, Montalvo said.
Firefighters responded within minutes of receiving a call about a discharged firearm around 6:30 a.m. Monday. It wasn't until after they arrived that they learned the shooting was ongoing, said Houston Assistant Fire Chief Richard Mann. They took cover and called for backup.
No firefighters were injured.
Mann said at least six of the victims were shot while inside cars.
Witnesses reported hearing more than two dozen gunshots over the course of at least 15 minutes, KPRC reported.
Over police scanners, authorities said a black man was firing a revolver at vehicles, according to KTRK. A vehicle suspected to be the shooter's has been identified, Mann said. Authorities recovered multiple firearms from the vehicle, Montalvo said.
"We encourage everybody to avoid this entire area," Mann said. "This is obviously going to be an extended incident."