Gun battle near the Galleria terrifies pedestrians

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - "It's nerve wrecking, I'm still shaken up by it actually," said Samantha Flores.

Flores says she and her brother were in the Dillard's parking lot near South Post Oak when she noticed a man standing near their car.

"And he pulled out a gun and he started shooing three or four times we got so scared we backed up real quick and went the other way," Flores said. "Somebody was firing back I didn't see the other person he was shooting at someone I don't know who."

Police confirm two groups of men were exchanging gunfire in an area of town not associated with gun battles, but known for heavy foot traffic.

"As soon as they exchanged gunfire both groups got into their vehicles and left," said assistant police chief Mattie Provost.

"That was the first time it happened to me," said Daniel Tang.

Tang was across  the street at the Starbucks where some customers thought the shots were being fired inside that business.

"That's why we thought that it was inside, that's how loud it was," Tang said.

"They said they thought they heard anywhere between 7 and 8 gunshots being fired," Provost said.

"That's why we all just ducked," said Tang.

Tang and other customers were locked inside the Starbucks for about 10 minutes.

Miraculously no one was injured.

One of the gunman was arrested and charged while the search continues for the other.

The motive is not clear but police say this shooting was not gang related.