Derrick Anthony Lopez: Gets Into a Restaurant Fight, Shoots Eight-Year-Old Girl

HPD

Derrick Lopez: Drive-by shooting hits eight-year-old girl

Derrick Anthony Lopez, 26, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault with serious bodily injury in connection with the Sunday incident near Hobby Airport

HPD says the girl's father told them he had argued with Lopez at a restaurant about an hour before the 3:30 a.m. attack.

"The father said he left the restaurant and returned to the above address to pick up his children and go to his home in Baytown," HPD says. "While waiting in the car with his two sons and one daughter, a black car stopped at the corner and opened fire. Shortly afterward, his daughter began screaming."

Her name was not released, but she remains hospitalized with serious injuries that are not life-threatening, police say.

Witnesses provided an identification of the shooter's car, a 2001 Lexus, and directed officers to a nearby apartment complex. They saw the car there, with bullet casings on its floor.

While they were at the complex, they received a call from the victim's father that the shooter had returned in a silver Cadillac.

They waited at the complex gate and arrested Lopez when he returned.

"Upon questioning, Lopez confessed to his role in the incident, which led to the recovery of the gun used in the shooting," police say.