Woman shot, family pepper-sprayed by suspect during hostage situation

Deputies investigate SWAT stand off at New Waverly home

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies say a man shot a woman and assaulted another in New Waverly.

HOUSTON - SWAT teams swarmed a home in Walker County Monday where one woman was shot and another was held hostage.

It began with the shooting around 7:30 a.m. on Pavey Circle in New Waverly and led to a stand-off between the suspect and officers that ended peacefully around 5 p.m. Monday.

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Sheriff's officials say, Mark Mathison, 38, shot the grandmother of his stepsons in the shoulder, hit another woman with the gun, then pepper-sprayed the children and their mother.

Per Walker County Sheriff's Office:

Walker County Sheriff’s deputies and DPS troopers were able to rescue the wounded elderly female from the front yard of the residence and get her medical help.

Mathison kept his estranged wife hostage inside the home for several hours.

“The woman got out of the vehicle...and he shot her in the shoulder right here with a shotgun buckshot,” said Christopher Goss, a family friend who watched the standoff from the edge of the police tape. “He showed up here unannounced: one, revenge for something,” said Goss. “That’s where this all came from.”

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Officials, assisting at the scene, said the grandmother was rushed to the hospital and was stable with her shoulder injuries. Her two grandsons were taken to the hospital hours later after escaping the pepper spray and hostage situation, deputies said. They had no visible physical injuries.

“Words can’t describe it right now,” said the boys’ biological dad Dwayne. “I just need to catch my bearings.”

The biological father of the boys, ages 7 and 12, rushed to the scene after hearing about the shooting. “My boys are soldiers,” he said. “They’re daddy raised them up right.”

Deputies say they had already been looking for Mathison on a warrant for the continuous sexual assault of a child. They say he had recently removed an ankle monitor.

The two female victims are at Conroe Regional Hospital in stable condition receiving treatment for their injuries.

Mathison is currently being held at the Walker County Jail and awaiting bond on the listed charges. He is facing four counts of Aggravated Kidnapping (First Degree Felony), four counts of Aggravated Assault w/Weapon (First Degree Felony), two counts of Injury to Child (Third Degree Felony), Burglary of Habitation w/Intent of other Felony (First Degree Felony), Arson Intent Damage Habitat (First Degree Felony), Tampering with a Witness (First Degree Felony), and a warrant out of Montgomery County- Sex Abuse of a Child Continuous: Victim Under 14 (First Degree Felony).

“For this guy right here, he’s got his justice coming with that man up there,” said Dwayne, pointing to the sky.

Deputies say a bond set aside warrant was issued for Mathison after he removed his ankle monitor, which could have spurred him to start the violence Monday morning.

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