Teenager tries to steal gun from gun seller at gas station meet up and ends up dead, police say

A teenager allegedly tried to steal a gun from a seller who had met with him at a gas station to sell him a gun, and instead, the teen ended up dead, according Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

The incident unfolded at about 3 p.m. Thursday at a Shell gas station in Crosby.

Police were called about the shooting, and when they responded, they found a 17-year-old black male with multiple gunshot injuries and a man with a firearm.

The teenager was airlifted to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The man stayed at the scene and told police that he had agreed to meet the teenager in order to sell him a firearm, but when they met, the teenager tried to steal the gun instead. In the ensuing struggle, the man says he shot the teenager.

Investigators said they reviewed surveillance video from the gas station with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, and the case may be referred to a grand jury.

"Quick response/work by our Lieutenant Calhoun who was nearby and detained the suspected shooter," said Gonzalez.

The identity of the deceased teenager is being withheld until his next of kin could be notified. Police believe he was dropped off at the gas station by someone and are asking for help from the public to identify that person.

Houston police offered several tips to the public about how to complete online sales safely.

• Complete the sale in a public location such as near a police station
• Ask someone to accompany you during the sale
• Only complete sales during daylight hours
• Don't meet people at your residence or at their residence.
• Do not divulge your actual email address to prevent strangers from finding personal information

They also said people should trust their gut if they feel something is off about the sale.

Here's more about the incident:

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