Police: Houston woman shot as grandfather fired celebratory gunfire

Houston police investigate a shooting on Fulton on New Year's Day.

Houston police say a woman was shot in the stomach as her grandfather fired off celebratory gunfire on New Year’s Day.

The shooting occurred around 12:21 a.m. Friday in the 1700 block of Fulton Street.

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Authorities arrived on the scene and found a 24-year-old woman had been shot in the stomach. She was taken to the hospital by EMS.

According to police, preliminary information suggests that the grandfather, who has been identified as Javier Villalobos, 70, was heavily intoxicated and was in the backyard with others. Police say he was shooting his gun in a celebratory fashion, and one of the bullets struck the granddaughter.

Villalobos is charged with aggravated assault-serious bodily. 

The investigation is still ongoing.

This was not the only shooting in Houston blamed on celebratory gunfire overnight. Police say an 8-year-old boy in northwest Houston was struck by a stray bullet while sleeping on New Year’s Eve.

MORE: Houston boy, 8, struck by celebratory gunfire while sleeping on New Year's Eve