Victim disputes speculation her shooting, Jazmine Barnes' murder both racially motivated

“It’s apparent black people are under attack in this particular part of the city,” said community activist Deric Muhammad.

Muhammad bases that statement on the recent shooting of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes and the August 30, 2017, shooting of two African Americans.

In both cases the gunmen are white.

The shootings happened within six miles of each other in east Harris County.

“We believe this was race related,” Muhammad said.

“I just feel it wasn’t a race issue at all,” said Deborah Louis.

Louis was there and suffered a gunshot wound to the hip.

On August 30, 2017, Louis and her family were not only dealing with Hurricane Harvey’s wrath, they were being shot at by a white man.

“He was pointing a gun and everybody was trying to get out of the way and going in different directions,” Louis said.

“I think it was just a random shooting,” said Louis. “I don’t think race was involved. It wasn’t just black people there.”

“Some of them said a white woman was being shot at also, that this guy was obviously involved in some type of road rage incident,” said community activist Quanell X. “He was white yes, he was shooting, but it appeared race had nothing to do with it.”

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez points out there’s no evidence yet that connects the two shootings.

“We’re not ruling it out, but is there a direct connection that we’ve found between them? No, there’s no direct connection,” Gonzalez said.

Some say on the surface race is the only obvious motive in Jazmine’s tragic slaying.

“We do believe that it was racially motivated in part because our nation at this moment is highly racially charged,” said Lee Merritt, an attorney for Jazmine’s family.

We told Muhammad about our interview with Louis and he said she was there and I wasn’t but he says it doesn’t change his mind.

He points out that hate crimes are up nationwide and blacks are the number one targets.

Mohammad says if Jazmine’s death isn’t racially motivated he’s be more than happy to be proven wrong.