A Tuesday night pickup game on Houston’s South Side turned into a crime scene when two teenagers were shot while playing basketball at Zollie Scales Park. The victims, a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old, were each hit once, one in the hand and the other in the leg, and were taken to the hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. The gunfire broke out around 6:30 p.m., drawing officers to the park near Dreyfus Street and rattling neighbors who suddenly found their quiet evening interrupted by sirens and crime tape.
Police: Pot Pitch at Park Ends in Gunfire
Investigators told Click2Houston that two or three suspects walked up to the teens while they were on the court and tried to sell them marijuana. At some point during the encounter, at least two of those suspects opened fire. One teen was shot in the hand, the other in the leg, and both were taken from the park to a hospital, where they are expected to recover. Witnesses reported seeing the suspects leave in a white Nissan, which Houston police are now working to track down.
Where the Shooting Happened
Zollie Scales Park, listed by the City of Houston at 3501 Corder Street in the 77021 ZIP code, sits near Dreyfus Street in the Greater Eastside neighborhood. The park’s public basketball court is a regular hangout for local kids and families looking for a quick game. The location and basic site details match the city’s parks directory for the site, according to the Houston Parks and Recreation Department.
Context: Recent Violence Around Public Gatherings
The park shooting comes on the heels of other teen-involved violence at public meetups this month. Earlier in February, a teenager was shot and killed at an unauthorized car meet in the Greenspoint area, an incident that sparked a homicide investigation and a public call for surveillance footage as police raised alarms about large unsanctioned gatherings, according to ABC13. Neighbors around Zollie Scales Park told reporters they were shaken to see similar violence land so close to home.
What Police Are Asking of the Public
Houston police are urging anyone who saw the shooting or noticed a white Nissan in the area around 6:30 p.m. to contact investigators, according to Click2Houston. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or online at Crime-Stoppers.org. Officers are continuing to canvas the neighborhood in search of witnesses and surveillance video that might help them identify the shooters.
