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Texas woman brutally gunned down by ex in front of her kids during son's 6th birthday party: ‘Justice will be served’
Investigators have said Jalen Easterling, 26, was killed by her ex, who was the father of the children.
A Texas woman was brutally gunned down in front of her children during her son’s 6th birthday party. Investigators have said Jalen Easterling, 26, was killed by her ex, who was the father of the children. She was murdered in the evening of September 12 at a house in northeast Houston, police said, according to The Mirror.
At around 8:30 pm local time, gunfire erupted at the birthday party in the 8200 block of Locksley Road. At the time of the shooting, the 4 and 6-year-old children were inside the house. The shooting took place when the suspect arrived at the home and started having an argument with Easterling at the doorway. He fired multiple shots inside the home, and at least one of them hit the woman.
After opening fire, the suspect fled the scene. By the time police arrived at the scene, he was gone. He remains at large and police are asking him to come forward to tell his side of the story.
"He left in a vehicle, supposedly white, possible Tahoe, possible Suburban, so we're looking for him," Lt R. Wilkens of the Houston Police Department said.
Investigators are trying to determine if the crime had anything to do with another male friend of the woman being inside the home. A neighbour told KHOU 11 that they heard the suspect yelling at Easterling in the doorway.
"Let's end this. Let's end this now," Felicia Adams, a neighbour, said she heard.
Adams said moments later, she spotted two cars pull into the driveway. She heard the shooting begin.
"My heart dropped. I was terrified. It was loud. It sounded like it was going into my home," Adams said.
Adams said she saw a man firing as many as five shots into the townhouse next door. “I immediately told the kids to get down. I got down and called 911 right away," said Adams, who said she saw everything from the upstairs window of her home.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Houston Police said that they had responded to the house for child custody calls in the past. "We've had calls here in the post with disturbances over child custody," Wilkens said. "Again, we don't know exactly what the disturbance is today. We just know one of the kids had a birthday."
Tributes pour in
Friends and family remembered Easterling on social media, including Mañana Marie, who remembered her “only girl” in a Facebook post. “Family and friends, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I wanted to announce the passing of my only girl. Jalen W Easterling. Please pray for Jason and myself as our family as we are heartbroken about our girl. And pray for Justice for Jalen!!!!!! MY BABY IS GONE YALL,” Marie wrote.
Summer Rosziia also remembered Easterling, who was her niece. “It’s been a quiet day for me and my thoughts and the pain I feel is immeasurable. My niece Jalen W Easterling life was taken last night Sept. 12th 2024 in Houston Texas. My heart is broken …shattered and with the loss of my father Sept 11th 2022 and the fact that it still hurts . I never imagine for this to happen to my dear sweet niece. My God please be with my brother, her mom, my Snl, my sister and everyone who loved Jalen. This is so hard … my God … my God Justice will be served,” she wrote.
Another acquaintance of Easterling wrote, “I LOVE YOU ALWAYS AND FOREVER. TETE SO HEARTBROKEN I WILL NEVER BE THE SAME”.
