An East Harris County neighborhood was rocked by violence early yesterday morning, leading to the death of a 17-year-old boy and the wounding of a 16-year-old in a series of events that involved an off-duty police officer firing his weapon. According to KPRC 2, investigators say that gunfire erupted after a confrontation between two groups on Crosshaven Drive in the Cloverleaf neighborhood.
The initial altercation, which detectives are still piecing together, appeared to have begun over an argument on Instagram about a stolen cell phone. Family members of the deceased, 17-year-old Ashton La’Van, have stated that the teens were merely playing a video game at the time of the incident. "It is hard. These kids need to put these guns down," his cousin Nakisha Walker told KPRC 2. The scene quickly turned chaotic, with individuals, including teens, fleeing and scrambling for cover. Amidst the bedlam, at least one person found themselves in the backyard of an off-duty Jacinto City Police Department sergeant, who discharged his firearm believing a break-in was being attempted.
As a result, the involved officer's actions and the original shooting are both under scrutiny to discern the precise cause of death and injuries sustained. Major Ben Katrib of the Harris County Sheriff's Office emphasized the complexity of the situation, stating on KPRC 2, “We know that he discharged his firearm, but at the same time, just to be clear, there was an exchange of a gunfire between the two groups. At this time, it is unknown which bullet could have caused the male’s death.” The 16-year-old victim was hastily taken to the hospital by a private vehicle.
The community has expressed shock at the sound of rapid gunfire shattering the pre-dawn silence. Neighbor Ronny Lee described his own experience: "Just laying in bed at like 4 o'clock, and I heard that first gunfire, and then I jumped up out of bed to see what it was," he recounted to KPRC 2. Lee further detailed how his home was hit by stray bullets, saying "rock started hitting me in the face, and sheetrock. It was that bullet right there. Sounded like a cannon going off." In terms of the investigation, several persons of interest were detained at the scene, and one person was arrested on a probation violation, though no arrests directly connected to the shooting have been confirmed.
An update by the Harris County Sheriff's Office clarified that the shooting on Crosshaven Drive started with a confrontation between male groups, leading to persons fleeing the scene on foot after gunfire ensued. The subsequent involvement of an off-duty officer, who heard the gunfire and later fired his weapon when unknown males jumped over his fence, added layers to the ongoing investigation.
Update to incident on Crosshaven Drive: a group of males were outside a residence, when a separate group walked up. An altercation broke out and gunfire erupted between the parties. Persons fled the scene on foot.
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) May 8, 2025
A neighbor, an off-duty officer, heard the gunfire. Unknown…
