One killed at rave party in southeast Houston

  

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A killer is on the run after a shooting at party that police say got out of control. Hundreds of teenagers were reportedly at the party, all crammed into a vacant house in southeast Houston.

It happened at a home on Allison near Cullen. Police were on the scene investigating for several hours after the massive Spring Break foam party advertised on social media turned into a deadly shooting.

Willie Armstrong, 19, and a group of friends were among what Houston police say was anywhere from 300 to 600 or more teens and college students all crowded in the house.

Party-goers tell Eyewitness News it was a massive bubbles and foam party. But around midnight, after calls from several neighbors, police, including off-duty HPD officers working security, shut the party down.

"Then about 30 minutes later all hell broke loose -- gunfire," said neighbor Amos Miles.

Police say there were several people firing. Witnesses say bullets were coming from everywhere.

"Like 10 over here, three over here, six over there," said witness Fredrick Johnson.

That's when Armstrong, who was running from gunshots, looked up and saw one of the gunmen.

"He was just walking and then he just pulled out a gun and started shooting," he said.

Then he saw the gunman fire at a teen.

"He shot that boy in the back of the head and he fell on the ground by the car. He was just laying there," Armstrong said.

HPD says as the suspect took off officers tried to detain him, but he got away.

"He started shooting at the police, too, because I guess the police had seen him," said Armstrong.

It's said to be the fourth rave style party at what was built as an assisted living facility 12 years ago. It went through foreclosure and the ownership is murky. The builder says it is bank property, but it is not abandoned. Instead it's believed to be a business again -- a party venue that brings hundreds of cars down a two lane country road and more.

A neighbor, who didn't want to be identified, recalled, "The last mansion party they had out here I was trying to keep out of my yard and they said, 'Hey, can we put our weed in your mailbox?' And I said absolutely not."

Police are now trying to contact the promoter and trying to find out who the property owner is.

"It's a tragedy. It's a loss," said Miles. "Somebody lost their child which could have been avoided."

The victim died at the hospital and hasn't been idenfitied. The shooting suspect remains at large.

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