Argument Between 40-Somethings Over Who Won a Foot Race Escalates Into Shooting: Houston Police

An argument between two men in their 40s over who won a foot race quickly turned violent and left in three people shot outside of a Houston barbershop on Saturday afternoon, according to police, ABC 13 reported.

Officials from the Houston Police Department (HPD) said Saturday that officers were dispatched to the Mean Kuts barbershop located in the 10000 block of Tidwell Road around 3:40 p.m. in response to the shooting.

HPD Assistant Chief Wendy Baimbridge said the incident escalated after two men began debating over who won a race they previously ran.

"We discovered that two males were fighting outside – verbally arguing – over basically who ran a race faster," Baimbridge said during a Saturday press briefing.

The alleged gunman and one of the three victims were engaged in the verbal dispute in front of the barbershop.

During the debate, Baimbridge said one of the victims turned to walk away from the suspected shooter. At that time, the shooter opened fire on the victim, striking him twice in the arm.

Two additional men were shot as a result of stray bullets, Baimbridge added.

Police said the men were innocent bystanders who were leaving the barbershop at the same time of the shooting. Each victim was stuck by a bullet once, with one victim hit in the arm and the other hit in the buttocks.

Police said all three victims were transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, but did not disclose their identities to the media.

The suspect in question was described on Saturday as an African-American male in his 40s who goes by the name Trae. Authorities believe the man took off heading eastbound on Tidwell inside a Nissan Frontier, but did not have the exact license plate number on Saturday.

Baimbridge said police are now investigating additional evidence associated with the shooting, including cell phone camera video footage taken from a witness inside the barber shop. Additional security footage from a nearby liquor store may also provide police with more information on the shooting.

Baimbridge did not say how long the suspected shooter and first victim had known each other, but said they believe the men have been arguing about the details of the foot race for about a month. Police did not provide any details regarding when or where the race took place.

Police said the investigation remains ongoing with and encouraged anyone with additional information to contact the police department's Major Assault Division or Crime Stoppers.