IT'S NO LONGER SAFE TO RIDE A BUS IN HOUSTON

Shooter remains on the run after innocent woman shot and killed on METRO bus in west Houston

The woman was shot and killed on the bus. A second person was injured.

 

By Cory McCord and Orko Manna  

 

KHOU 11

Jan 7, 2026

 

 

  

HOUSTON — A manhunt is underway after police said an innocent woman was shot and killed on a METRO bus in the Westchase area of Houston on Wednesday. A second person was also believed to be injured in the shooting.

What we know about the shooting

The incident occurred on METRO bus 2611 around 2:30 p.m. while it was traveling on Richmond Avenue near Beltway 8. Authorities said the woman, in her mid-20s, was on the bus when a man boarded. METRO Police Chief Ban Tien said the suspect appeared to be targeting someone else when he opened fire, and the woman was mistakenly shot in the head. She was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.

Houston police later said a second person, described as a male, went to a local hospital reporting he had been injured in the shooting. His condition is unknown.

“2:30 in the afternoon … I know there are a lot of folks out there. I am confident there are a lot of witnesses who saw where the suspect went. I just ask them to come forward to let us know who that person is and contact homicide or Crime Stoppers because the reality is it was just an innocent female in her mid-20s,” Tien said.

METRO response

METRO said it is deeply saddened by the fatal shooting and extended condolences to the victim’s loved ones and everyone affected. The agency said preliminary information indicates the suspect fired at two males on the bus, but the woman who was killed was not involved.

The bus operator immediately followed protocol to safely offload all passengers. METRO emphasized that while no transit system can prevent every act of violence, safety measures are in place to ensure a rapid response and assist investigations. Surveillance footage from the bus has been provided to law enforcement, and witnesses have cooperated to help investigators.

The Houston Police Department is leading the homicide investigation, and both HPD and METRO police are actively working to locate the suspect. METRO said the safety of its riders, employees, and the community remains its top priority.

Suspect information

Authorities describe the suspect as a male between 17 and 20 years old, about 6 feet tall, wearing a black hoodie and light gray shorts. Around 6 p.m., investigators said they believed the suspect was still in the area.

METRO police and Houston Police Department officers have swarmed the area in an effort to locate the shooter. Members of the public were asked to avoid the area.

Witness account

A man who was on the bus at the time, speaking anonymously, described what unfolded:

“We pulled up to the bus stop. Two young men got on the bus. Went to the back of the bus. There was no argument or nothing, but another young man comes up, and he gets on the bus and immediately, they shoot at each other.”

KHOU 11 reached out to Houston police to confirm whether there was an exchange of gunfire, but that has not been confirmed. The witness added he saw both victims get hit by bullets.

“The young lady was shot in the head. Her brains were on the floor. Yeah, she was shot in the head. There was another young man I think got shot in the leg from the other bullet. It was only two shots.”