Two people were shot near the McGowen Metrorail platform in Midtown on Friday night, briefly throwing the evening commute into chaos and drawing a heavy police response. Witnesses saw a man on a bicycle ride onto the platform, where he collapsed with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Officials say a second person was also shot nearby. Investigators are still working to pinpoint exactly where the gunfire started, and authorities have not yet released the conditions of either victim. Rail service at the Midtown platform was briefly disrupted as emergency crews moved in.
What METRO reported
According to a Houston METRO news release reported by FOX 26 Houston, officers were called after a man on a bicycle rode onto the McGowen platform and collapsed from an apparent gunshot wound. METRO also said a second person was shot in the area and that, based on preliminary information, the shooting did not occur on METRO property.
Transit safety concerns linger
Violence on or near METRORail stations has been a recurring concern for riders and transit leaders, and earlier reporting shows METRO and HPD have stepped up patrols after a series of prior incidents. ABC13 reported officials saying many of those episodes start away from stations, then “spill onto the platform,” which makes them tougher to head off before they reach transit property.
What officials say and what's next
Houston police are investigating the shooting but had not released details about any suspects or the victims' conditions as of Friday night, FOX 26 Houston reported. METRO said investigators are still piecing together the sequence of events and reiterated that preliminary information indicates the incident did not occur on agency property. We will update this story as officials release more information.
