NEDERLAND, Texas — The Nederland Police Department is investigating a Sunday night shooting that left two teenagers injured.
Chief Gary Porter said at around 9:30 Sunday night their office got a call from the Medical Center of Southeast Texas. The two gun shot victims drove themselves there.
The victims are 17 and 18 years old, from Nederland, according to Porter. One of the teens attends Nederland High School.
Porter said the teens met some people at Doornbos park, and something went awry. That's when they decided to try and get away from the people they met.
"When they tried to leave one of the people at the park took a baseball bat and started beating on their vehicles as they tried to get away, I believe three shots were fired at the vehicle," Porter explained.
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Porter said two of the shots struck the vehicle and did not hit anyone. Police believe one of the shots went through a victim's thigh, then struck the driver in the finger. Neither of the injuries were life-threatening.
Porter said the victims aren't people they normally deal with. They are cooperating with the investigation.
"We're still working on the motive behind it, but I can say with pretty much confidence that this was not just a random robbery or somebody at the park," Porter said.
Police believe the teens were approached by four suspects. Porter assures officers are working diligently to get to the bottom of the incident. He thinks the teens are now out of the hospital.
Porter also thinks the teens either knew the suspects, or had some kind of contact with them beforehand. They plan to file whatever criminal charges that are appropriate.
"When you meet people in dark spots, things go bad and that's what happened on this deal," he said, "and we're very fortunate no one was killed."
Porter said there normally aren't any issues at the park. On occasion they deal with disorderly conduct, or some drug use, but it's typically a pretty safe place to go.
At this time, police don't have a positive ID on any of the suspects. Investigators encourage citizens with security cameras in the area to look over their video at around 9:30 Sunday night, and see if they see anything suspicious. If they do, they're encouraged to call the police department.
Police also recovered some shell casings from a 9 millimeter at the scene. Porter said it's very likely that if they recover the gun, it will probably be one that was stolen out of an unlocked car.
"I would encourage people if you keep a firearm or handgun in your vehicle, take it out at night, because oftentimes deals like this, it comes out to be a stolen handgun," he said.
Porter said people shouldn't feel paranoid walking around town. He said for folks to keep their eyes peeled, use common sense, and if something suspicious is going on to call the police and let them check it out.
Esdras Pedroz moved to Nederland last February from Port Arthur. He lives right across from the park, and takes his four and six year old boys there just about everyday. He said the incident won't stop him from visiting.
"It's a real safe place, real safe environment, that's why what happened was kind of, you know, kind of shocking, because I would have never expected that here," he said.
However, Pedroz doesn't think the shooting makes the park an unsafe place. He said its just what happens when people do stuff they shouldn't be doing.
"Thank God no kids got injured and hopefully everybody still thinks its a good park cause it really is," Pedroz said.
He had just gotten back home from a trip to Lousiana when he heard the shots Sunday night. At first, he didn't think they were gun shots.
"I was like nah, it can't be, but then i heard another one and I was like, no, yeah, that's bullets, but I didn't know it was coming from here," Pedroz said.
Pedros said he's always aware of his surroundings, but he doesn't feel like the shooting should make anyone afraid of going to the park. He doesn't see it becoming a reoccurring thing.
"It's real peaceful and there's nothing wrong with the park, like I say, I'll still bring my kids here any day, any time," he said.