A celebration turned deadly early Saturday in southwest Houston when gunfire broke out at a large house party, claiming one woman’s life and leaving five others injured. The shooting occurred around 1:45 a.m. in the 15200 block of Vandalia Way, near Anderson Road — just inside the Beltway.
According to Assistant Chief Yasar Bashir, the violence began with an argument involving two or three people. What started as a dispute quickly escalated into a full-blown exchange of gunfire.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found six people suffering from gunshot wounds. One woman was pronounced dead right there, while the other five were rushed to nearby hospitals. Her identity has not yet been publicly released.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, no firearms were recovered at the scene. However, authorities did detain one person who is being treated as a possible person of interest. Investigators say they are actively interviewing witnesses as they try to piece together exactly how things spiraled so quickly.
Relatives have since identified the woman who died as 63-year-old Eleanor B. Williams, describing her as a warm, loving soul who had been getting ready to leave the gathering when she was struck. Her daughter, Lucy Johnson, said people told her they saw no blood, which leads her to believe her mom was likely hit from behind — a heartbreaking detail that’s hard to accept.
At this point, investigators believe at least two people may have opened fire during the chaotic moment. Detectives are collecting surveillance video, talking with anyone who may have seen or recorded anything, and urging those with information to come forward.
Police haven’t announced any formal charges yet. The investigation is ongoing, and they’re working to understand exactly what led to the deadly confrontation — how a night of music and laughter ended in gunshots, grief, and loss.