Malachi Lopez was fatally shot on November 18 outside his residence on South Cashel Oaks Drive. According to FOX 26 Houston, Precinct 4 Constables found Lopez with a gunshot wound, after which he was transported to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
"Malachi was shot and killed right here, right outside his own place of residence, getting ready to enjoy his 20th birthday for no apparent reason. No one can give us a reason why. We need to know why this happened to our child. This is happening too much in this city," Lopez's grandmother, Leslie, told FOX 26 Houston.
As the investigation continues, the Lopez family is pleading with the public for any information that could lead to a suspect. The night of the incident, Malachi was waiting for a friend who was supposed to pick him up. After being shot, he managed to call this friend to inform her of his condition, prompting her to rush to inform his family and call the authorities. "He called her and said I'd been shot, because he was supposed to be meeting up with her, and she was on the way. He called her and said I’ve been shot, so she came running to our door and said he'd been shot," Shonte Lopez, Malachi's mother, recounted in an interview with FOX 26 Houston.
Malachi dove into the working world right after high school, dabbling in various jobs, and soon founded his clothing line "Forever Gwuapo," Malachi's obituary was published on Legacy.com. His funeral service was held on December 2, at the Damascus Missionary Baptist Church.
"All I want is one more hug, one more kiss, one more time to tell him I'm proud of him. I just want more time and I can't have it," Shonte Lopez expressed in a statement.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is currently going through security video and other evidence to follow leads. Anyone with information can call the anonymous tip line at 713-222-TIPS, with the possibility of a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that could help solve this case.
