HOUSTON — UPDATE 10:50 a.m. EST Jan. 6: Authorities with the Harris County Sheriff's Office have charged Eric Black Jr., 20, with capital murder in the death of Jazmine Barnes. The 7-year-old girl was in a car with her family at a Houston-area Walmart Dec. 30 when shots were fired into the vehicle, injuring her family members and resulting in her death.
Authorities also released an image of Black:
Eric Black Jr., 20, is charged with capital murder in the death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes. #hounews pic.twitter.com/OlmqMlb3ES
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 6, 2019
Will not rest until we find #JusticeForJazmine. Our @HCSOTexas team is working hard to bring closure to her family. Jazmine would soon be celebrating another birthday, instead her funeral is being planned. No words. Thank u @shaunking @pastordeckard & all our community 4 support pic.twitter.com/HKIw99kK2V
— Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) January 3, 2019
Original story: Deputies have made an arrest in connection with the shooting death of a 7-year-old girl near a Houston-area Walmart.
According to The Associated Press, Eric Black Jr., 20, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the Dec. 30 slaying of Jazmine Barnes, 7, in Harris County.
A tip led to Black's arrest, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said in a news release early Sunday.
Investigators said Black "admitted to taking part in the shooting," the release said, adding that authorities are looking into evidence that could lead to more arrests.
#HCSO homicide investigators have filed a capital murder charge against Eric Black Jr. for the shooting death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes — full release: https://t.co/upLn3yRRgn #HouNews #JusticeForJazmine pic.twitter.com/shYLmXmobT
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 6, 2019
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According to a Houston Chronicle report last week, LaPorsha Washington, 30, was driving near the Harris County store Dec. 30 with her four children when a man inside a red truck started shooting into their car, then fled, deputies said.
Washington's daughter, Jazmine, was shot and killed, the Chronicle reported. Washington suffered a gunshot wound to the arm, and a 6-year-old child also was hurt, the newspaper said.
Witnesses initially described the suspected shooter as a white man in his 40s with a beard, deputies said. The AP reported that the family of Jazmine, who was African-American, had thought "the shooting was racially motivated."
A mugshot or physical description of Black was not immediately available.
On Saturday, the Sheriff's Office tweeted that its investigation had "taken a new direction" and detectives were "interviewing persons of interest."
The Jazmine Barnes Homicide investigation has taken a new direction. Detectives are in the process of interviewing persons of interest. More details will be released as soon as possible. #hounews #JusticeForJazmine pic.twitter.com/iouadEvQHW
— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 6, 2019
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