Loved ones identified the victim as 23-year-old Nicholas Hood. They gathered Sunday night for a balloon release at the barbershop where he worked.
HOUSTON — It has been more than one week since family and friends said a young man’s life was cut short in a shooting near a METRO bus stop.
According to Houston police, the victim was sitting at a bus stop near N. Main St. and 34th St. on the night of Aug. 16. Investigators said he started talking with another man, but he then started running away.
The victim was on FaceTime with his girlfriend at the time. When the connection dropped, police said the girlfriend tracked his phone’s location and found his body in a nearby grassy area.
Loved ones have identified the man who was shot and killed as 23-year-old Nicholas Hood. Dozens of family members, friends and coworkers gathered Sunday night for a balloon release at the historic Jackson’s Barbershop in Houston’s Independence Heights neighborhood, where Hood worked. Many held purple balloons and wore purple shirts, which the family told KHOU 11 was Hood’s favorite color.
“This is one of my best employees,” Jackson’s Barbershop owner Johnie Jackson said while speaking to the crowd who came out for the balloon release.
Jackson told KHOU 11 that Hood had only worked for him for about six months. But his work ethic and positive personality made him an instant favorite.
“Never met a barber like that. Great. Professional. Had principles, morals, values. I called him the MVP. I’ll never get another one like him. He’s one in a million,” Jackson said.
Jackson added that Hood was extremely selfless and made an impact even beyond the barbershop and touched the lives of so many in the community.
“He may have not cut everybody’s hair, but he’s just that professional. He would give the homeless people haircuts. I can go on and on and on,” Jackson said.
KHOU 11 also spoke with Hood’s grandfather, Bueaford Smiley. Smiley said he wants Hood to be remembered as a giving person who always wanted to help people.
“Any time you saw him, he had a smile on his face, and he just wanted to make people happy,” Smiley said. “You couldn’t ask for a better grandson.”
Photos of Hood and purple flowers were placed at his barber’s chair and at a makeshift memorial outside the barbershop.
Houston police told KHOU 11 that there are no updates to the case as of Sunday evening, and they had no suspect description to share. Hood’s family said they want justice and are urging whoever shot and killed him to turn themselves in.
“Closure is what we want. We want closure, and if they’re out there, they know what they did. So, closure is what we need,” Smiley said.
HPD is asking anyone with any information about the shooting to contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or submit a tip online.
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