Teen’s Birthday Party Ends with Two Dead and Dozens Injured

A teen’s November party erupted in chaos when shots rang out, leaving two dead and dozens injured. One hundred people were packed into a relatively small Cyprus, Texas house. Someone apparently decided to fire a gun into the air in celebration, and another party-goer fired into the crowd. When the smoke cleared, at least 18 people suffered gunshot wounds, and two more high school students were dead.

According to the police, there was no evidence that the two men responsible for the shootings were in a confrontation with each other or even knew each another outside of the party. Drugs, alcohol, and gangs have (at least initially) been ruled out as factors in the shooting. The birthday girl’s mother was at home at the time of the party but does not appear to have been able to control the events before they unfolded into tragedy. From the reports, it appears that an otherwise peaceful assembly of family and friends gathered to celebrate turned deadly.

Even if those responsible are sentenced and eventually serve jail time, that will be little solace for the families that lost children and other family in the incident. Beyond retribution, the criminal justice system will do little to nothing to economically compensate the injured, who will undoubtedly face a long road to recovery.

For those who have had their lives changed forever by the foolishness of another person, a civil judgment may be their only source of compensation. The presentation of evidence to prove a duty to protect visitors as well as the reckless discharge of firearms requires a careful and competent personal injury attorney. Interviewing witnesses, conducting depositions, and working with Texas prosecutors and police are only some of the steps involved in mounting a case in order to recover loss of income, physical disability, and mounting medical bills.

If you or a loved one have been the victim of another person’s reckless behavior, a Houston personal injury attorney can help you evaluate whether you have a right to recovery against the perpetrator.