Four dead after two murder-suicides in the Houston area in the last 48 hours

HOUSTON – Four people are dead after two suspects killed them before turning the gun and taking their own lives.

In addition, two other children, one in each case, were also injured during the two incidents.

On Thursday, a mother was shot and killed by a man she was dating in the spring, according to investigators.

The man then shot himself.

Police say a young woman was injured and taken to hospital following the incident.

And on Friday, another man shot and killed a woman in Independence Heights. Investigators there say the man then tried to escape with the two-year-old child they shared.

When the police caught up with the man with the child on a bicycle, he pulled out a gun and took his own life.

These are extreme examples of domestic violence.

However, many cases live in the shadows of everyday life in Houston.

That’s why KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding has a candid conversation with Sylvia Phillips, a legal advocate at Fresh Spirit Wellness.

Gage Goulding: “Two murder-suicides in the last 48 hours, right here in our city. What does that tell you about what’s going on in our community?”

Sylvia Phillips: “It tells me that people are not. The information is not coming out.”

Gage Goulding: “Domestic violence does not discriminate. It can affect anyone in any walk of life.”

Sylvia Phillips: “Absolutely. It can affect doctors, lawyers, teachers, teenagers.”

Gage Goulding: “Everyone who can call? What can they do? I know they may feel alone, but what can I do? They are not alone.”

Sylvia Phillips: “They are not alone. There are several organizations that I can name as one, especially this Fresh Spirit. They can call us anytime and we will help them develop a safety plan for the exit. They can even text the domestic violence hotline, which is 88788. 911 operators are trained to take calls from people in a domestic violence situation. All they have to do is dial 911 and tell the operator they’d like to order a pizza. The operator immediately starts asking questions like how many pizzas do you want? One or two, letting them know how many people are in the house. The bully will usually stop and allow you to order food.”

Gage Goulding: “What can I take care of? Are there any signs that, hey, there might be a problem here?”

Sylvia Phillips: “Yes, sometimes it is very subtle. It’s controlling what you wear, controlling who you talk to, controlling what you eat.”

Gage Goulding: “Not even all domestic violence is about a relationship though, right?”

Sylvia Phillips: “Right. It’s domestic violence. Does anyone live in the same house? It can be domestic violence against partners. It can be domestic violence against a mother, against a child, an adult child.

Gage Goulding: “What would you say to someone who is looking for help, who needs help?”

Sylvia Phillips: “Make the call. Make the call. Call fresh spirit. We will guide you to the exit. The first step is hard to take.”

If you are in immediate danger, safely call 911.

For more information, resources and local reports on domestic violence in Houston – visit us release web page.

Help is available immediately if you need it at the following numbers: