3 dead, including suspect, following shooting at NW Houston motel; 2 injured

HOUSTON - Police say three people, including the suspect, are dead and two other people are injured after a shooting at a motel in northwest Houston.

The shooting occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday in the 3400 block of Antoine Drive.

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Authorities say they got a call that they believe was made by the suspect at the motel. The caller reportedly said that they had weapons and were potentially going to harm someone and shoot police when they responded to the location, according to HPD.

Police believe the suspect, who has been identified as Irvin Peterson, 35, shot two people on the second-floor motel balcony before officers arrived. Authorities say it appears at this time that the suspect did not know the two victims.

As officers arrived, HPD says they immediately began taking gunfire from the suspect who was firing from the second-floor balcony. Their patrol cars were reportedly struck, but the officers were not injured.

According to HPD, three officers returned gunfire, and at some point, the suspect fell to the ground in the doorway of a motel room.

Officers went upstairs and found the suspect and the two other people who had been shot on the balcony. The suspect and two victims were pronounced dead.

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Police say two other people who were in the parking lot were wounded when the suspect started shooting randomly over the balcony. One person was struck in the right arm and was taken to an area hospital. The second person was struck in the left arm and drove himself to the hospital for treatment. Both men suffered what are believed to be non-life-threatening wounds, according to HPD. 

HPD said it is unclear at this time if the suspect was killed by officers who returned gunfire or if the suspect possibly shot himself. That will be determined during the investigation.

Police identified the officers who were involved in the shooting as: Officer B. Karlsen, Officer B. Real, and Officer J. Eakins. All three officers are assigned to the North Patrol Division of the Houston Police Department. Karlsen was sworn in as an HPD officer in May 2019, Officer Real in December 2019, and Officer Eakins in November 2020. 

The Houston Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit and Homicide Division are investigating, along with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the Houston Forensic Science Center.

The motel owner tells FOX 26 Peterson stayed at the hotel more than 40 times in the last 5 years or so. He adds Peterson never raised any red flags.