Woman killed in drive-by shooting in downtown

Thursday, February 08, 2007

(2/08/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- A drive-by shooting in downtown Houston took the life of a woman overnight and officers tracked down several suspect on the south side shortly after.

It happened around 2:30am when Erica Ann Garcia, 26, and several of her friends were at a bar on on Milam and Pease. They were leaving when another group of people in a black Hummer started following them. That's when authorities say someone in the Hummer opened fire on the young woman.

Authorities say it was two or three weeks ago she had some sort of confrontation with someone in the Hummer and this shooting may have been out of revenge.

"Just a coward -- I can't put it in any other way. A guy shoots at a girl," said Garcia's friend, Jason Pettas. "I've known her for two or three years. She's always helped people in need. She's got two kids. She works really hard. She takes care of her mother. She was just a great person."

It was a short time after the incident that police pulled over a Hummer on the Gulf Freeway near Airport in southeast Houston. Four people were taken into custody.

Authorities believe the Hummer pulled over is connected to the drive-by shooting. An investigation is underway.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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