HOUSTON – Wednesday morning, Houston police say a man was gunned down around 12:45 doing work for a business on Calumet Street.
This surveillance video shows there was a short conversation between the victim and someone in this silver truck. Houston police say that’s when the victim was shot point-blank and died on scene.
What we know:
Victim’s brother speaks out after finding him dead while working at a job in Houston’s Third Ward
Anthony Arevalo says he and his brother, Jimmy Arevalo, were working and cleaning up at a restaurant.
“Well, I saw two guys ran inside the store and my coworker ran outside, and the two guys ran in and said they were shooting. And Mr. Miguel ran outside and ran back inside to say that my brother got shot, so I ran outside, and I saw my brother on the floor. When I turned to my right, I saw the truck not speeding away, but driving casually away from the scene,” said Arevalo. “This happened because I do believe of a noise complaint, and for whatever reason, this guy came up to my brother and I guess told him something over the noise of the machine. That’s mostly what we have problems with. We work late at night, so the noise bothers a lot of people.”
Anthony told FOX 26 his family is heartbroken by the loss of his little brother, Jimmy, who was hardworking and loved to help everyone.
“Be careful, because you don’t know when someone can attack out of nowhere randomly. Because the world is not stable and it’s very dangerous out there,” said Arevalo. “I don’t know why a person could do this to my baby brother. My brother didn’t know the guy. That was just a new place we just started. We didn’t know nobody.”
Anthony Arevalo works at Tony’s Grease Clean, a company his brother Jimmy is the owner of.
He says they were doing a job at OMG Seafood when the shooting happened. FOX 26 spoke with the owner of OMG Seafood. He told us he’s devastated by what happened, and they are working with the police.
Owner of OMG Seafood releases statement after shooting
“We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the tragic incident that occurred outside our establishment after business hours. According to video footage, a third-party contractor from Tony’s Grease Clean was on-site conducting routine vent hood cleaning and pressure washing when an unknown individual approached him. After what appeared to be a brief exchange, the individual opened fire. We want to clarify that the individual who was shot is not an employee of OMG Seafood or any of our affiliates. This was an isolated act of violence and is in no way connected to our operations or business. At OMG Seafood, we are committed to the safety and well-being of our patrons, staff, and partners. We maintain strong security protocols during business hours to ensure a safe dining experience for everyone. This is a deeply unfortunate situation, and our thoughts are with the victim and his loved ones. We are cooperating fully with authorities as they continue their investigation,” said Clayton Edwards, owner, OMG Seafood.
The other side:
Neighbors said they are concerned about ongoing violence.
Donald Bond said he was out walking his dog nearby before the shooting happened.
“I walk my dog late at night, and last night about 12:15, I brought him in before I put him down for the night. It is disturbing because you just don’t know, anybody could just drive up with that mentality, and then just start shooting unprovoked.”
Donald Bond says he’s troubled to know that a man was killed steps from his home, but what’s even more troubling is the surveillance video.
Bond added that neighbors said the shooting just adds to their frustration with the violence and chaos that comes from the corner, and they would like to see a change.
“I’ve seen people having sex on cars, trash, blocked in the street, double-parking, the loud noise,” said Bond. “They have a daiquiri bar and club, and on the weekend, it’s just crazy and people drive up and down the street 100 miles an hour and the police just doesn’t do anything.”
Local perspective:
City leaders and community leaders respond to the ongoing violence
The shooting occurred in Houston’s Third Ward, but specifically inside the boundaries of the Riverside Civic Association, who is also been working to combat violence.
“This senseless act of violence underscores the urgent need for decisive action to address the increase in crime and nightlife nuisance activities in our community. For months, Third Ward residents have called on the City of Houston and HPD to take stronger measures to ensure the safety of our neighborhood. We are again urging Mayor Whitmire, city leaders and law enforcement to work collaboratively with the community to implement immediate and effective solutions that protect the lives of our residents and restore peace.”
Bond said he would like to see more city and police involvement to combat the violence in Third Ward.
“I’d like to see that store, that whole strip center, shut down. It’s a nuisance,” Bond said. “I would like to see more police patrolling. If they were trying to stop crime, they could just stop at people running the red light. They could get a lot of criminals off the street right there, because they don’t stop, and they speed up and down the street. It’s pretty bad.”
FOX 26 reached out to Carolyn Evans – Shabazz, who represents District D.
“The tragic and senseless act of violence that occurred early Wednesday morning on Calumet Street is deeply disturbing. While initial reports suggest this was an isolated incident involving an individual contractor, we understand and share the broader concerns raised by the community regarding crime, public safety, and nuisance activity in the surrounding area. Our office has been actively working with the Houston Police Department, the Houston Southeast Management District, and community stakeholders to address these persistent challenges. We are committed to fostering a safer environment for residents and businesses alike and have been in ongoing discussions to develop long-term, community-driven strategies. We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones. Our thoughts are with them during this incredibly difficult time. We also urge anyone with information about this incident to come forward and assist HPD in their investigation. District D remains steadfast in our resolve to support efforts that protect our neighborhoods and bring peace to our streets.”
The Source: FOX 26 Reporter Leslie DelasBour spoke with multiple residents about the incident.
Crime and Public SafetyThird WardHouston