HARRIS COUNTY, Texas–Four children and two adults are dead in northwest Harris County, near Houston, after a domestic situation exploded into a violent shooting rampage. The alleged shooter, identified as Ron Lee Haskell, aged 33, surrendered to deputies after a nearly three and a half hour standoff with deputies from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The standoff occurred in a cul-de-sac in a different subdivision where the suspect stopped after a police chase. One child, a fifteen-year-old girl remains in the hospital having been shot in the head and hand.
Precinct Four Deputies responded to an emergency call from one of the shooting victims, according to Precinct 4 Constable Ron Hickman who spoke with Breitbart Texas in a phone interview. Hickman said the family disturbance has been on-going for quite some time. The husband and wife were either divorced or were in the process of divorcing. The dispute escalated today into the shooting and standoff. The incident began in the Enchanted Oaks subdivision near Spring, Texas.
The alleged shooter has been identified by Constable Hickman as Ron Lee Haskell, a white male in his 30’s. He recently moved to the area from Utah. He allegedly went to the home of a distant relative and was reported by witnesses to be dressed in a FedEx uniform, according to Hickman. The Constable’s Office was able to confirm Haskell worked for a FedEx contractor in Utah prior to moving to Houston.
“When the children answered the door, Haskell asked if the parents were home,” Hickman said. “They said their parents were not home so he left and returned later. He returned sometime later and when he learned the parents were still not home, he slipped into the home and held the children hostage until the parents arrived.” When the parents arrived, Hickman said Haskell lined all of them up on the floor as if he was going to tie them up. He interrogated them as to where his wife and children were located. They family told him his wife and children were living at their grandparents house and told them where that was.
He then began shooting the victims, Hickman told Breitbart Texas. The 15-year-old girl held her hand up in front of her face as he shot her. She lost a finger, but managed to deflect the bullet enough to only graze her head. When Haskell left, she called 9-11 for help. She told the first deputies who arrived on the scene they had been shot by a relative and that he was on the way to where his wife was staying to kill the remainder of his family. “She saved the lives of the other family,” Hickman said.
Deputies were able to intercept the suspect and began a pursuit. Hickman said his deputies were able to disable the tires of the vehicle and the alleged shooter eventually came to a stop after he turned in to the dead-end of the cul-de-sac.
All of the victims were members of the distant relative’s family. Hickman said the suspect believed the man was responsible for his wife’s decision to leave him. At this time, it was unclear if the divorce was pending or recently finalized. A search of the Harris County District Clerk’s website did not reveal any pending divorce cases under the suspect’s name.
After over three hours the negotiators were able to reach a peaceful resolution to the standoff. Hickman said the Haskell eventually surrendered without resistance.
The lone survivor of the shooting rampage is the 15-year-old daughter.
The four children, two boys and two girls, who were killed, ranged in ages from four to 13 years. The deceased husband and wife were ages 39 and 33.
Haskell is currently being held in the Harris County Jail on charges of capital murder.
Bob Price is a staff writer and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
This article has been updated since its publishing.
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