Two young men are in custody following a shooting at a house party in Houston that left two people dead and 19 others injured, according to police.
Willie Young, 21, and Randy Stewart, 18, were arrested Monday morning in connection with the shooting late Saturday night, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. Police said the suspects opened fire around 11 p.m. inside a house in Cypress where more than 100 young adults had gathered for a birthday.
After the gunfire erupted, two people were dead, police said. One victim, 17-year-old Qu’eric Danariu Richardson, has been identified by police. Identification is still pending on a female victim, aged 16, who died at the hospital.
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia said that most of the 19 injured suffered from gunshot wounds, but in the frenzy during the shooting, some also suffered sprained ankles and one broken leg, adding that some party goers tried to escape the gunfire by jumping out of second-floor windows.
None of the injured has life-threatening injuries, Garcia said, but two are in critical condition.
Young was charged with deadly conduct, and Stewart has been charged with aggravated assault.
Garcia said the shooting began when one of the suspects fired a “celebratory” shot, which led the other suspect to react by firing into the crowd. The party had been widely promoted on social media, leading to a huge turnout.
Guests were patted down at the door, Mariah Boulden, the birthday girl, told KPRC, but after the two unwelcome suspects refused the security measure, they walked around the house and managed to make their way into the party.
The victims ranged in age from 14 to 22 years old, according to KPRC.