Pregnant woman killed, four others wounded in shooting at Houston birthday party
July 23, 2023
Autumn Vallian, 21, was killed in the shooting.
A pregnant woman was killed, and several others were injured when a gunman opened fire at a birthday party in Houston early Saturday morning.
The shooting erupted during a birthday party in Margaret Jenkins Park just after 1 a.m. Saturday, the Houston Police Department said in a briefing.
A fight in the park led to nearly 40 shots being fired.
Five people were struck by gunfire, police said.
Police said three people, including two of the suspected shooters, were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries.
Another victim suffered a graze wound and did not go to the hospital to receive medical attention.
The fatal victim was identified as 21-year-old Autumn Vallian.
Vallian was five months pregnant and surrounded mainly by people she would consider friends at the time of the shooting, her grieving family told ABC 13.
Her mother, Ebony Vallian, said they were trying to leave as the argument escalated into a gunfire.
Five people in total were shot during the party.
“One (man) pulled a gun. When he pulled his gun, the other guy’s girlfriend came out of her truck and came with a gun,” she told the outlet.
“They were talking back and forth about who would do what and however, and they started shooting at each other.”
Suddenly, she turned around and saw her first-born daughter had been shot.
Two suspects were detained by authorities.
“I looked back, and my baby was down on the ground. Gone,” her mother said. “I just lost my baby. (She was) in school, trying to get a job. Trying to become something, and she’s gone now.”
During an early morning briefing, Assistant Chief Ernest Garcia did not say what led to the fatal argument but that a total of 36 shots were read on the Houston Police Department’s ShotSpotter technology.
Two of the suspects have been detained.
Ebony Vallian said the gathering consisted of people her daughter would largely consider her friends.
