Bomb squad is deployed to 'active shooting' in Houston
Police kill disgruntled lawyer who 'shot NINE people with a revolver at a Houston strip mall after filling up his Porsche with weapons'
Nathan DeSai is being identified as the gunman who wounded nine people at a Houston strip mall. He was killed by police
Nine people were shot and wounded, one critically, in Houston by a lawyer whose law firm was struggling, police have said.
Nathan DeSai was shot and killed by police after opening fire at innocent bystanders at 6:30am near Weslayan and Bissonnett streets in southwest Houston.
When officers arrived, the suspect began firing at them, police Chief Martha Montalvo said.
His Porsche Boxster was then searched by police and members of the bomb squad,FOX26 reported.
DeSai was listed as a partner at McDaniel & DeSai LLP, a Houston-based law firm.
His LinkedIn profile now says he's no longer affiliated with the business — although his name still appears on a glass-door at the firm's entrance, which is 15 miles away from the scene of the shooting.
'He was upset about his law partnership not going well,' DeSai's father told ABC13 reporter Miya Shay. 'They didn't have business.'
Former clients slammed the firm on Yelp for being 'unprofessional' and claimed they had been overcharged. One female customer accused DeSai of asking her out.
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Police search a Porsche Boxster registered to lawyer Nathan DeSai near the scene where sources say he shot nine people in southwest Houston
Jennifer Molleda looks at the blood specked face of her husband, Alan Wakim, who had two bullets whiz by his face after going through his windshield during the shooting in Houston
The first report of the shootings began at about 6:30am near Weslayan and Bissonnett streets in southwest Houston
When officers arrived, the suspect began firing at them, police Chief Martha Montalvo said
Numerous weapons were found at the scene, Montalvo said, and a bomb-squad robot is looking at a Porsche (pictured) that's believed to belong to suspect Nathan DeSai
Houston police say the Porsche 'had additional weapons inside.' Mayor Sylvester Turner, who is in Cuba for a trade mission, said the lawyer was 'disgruntled.'
'He was either fired or had a bad relationship with this law firm,' Turner said.
'The investigation is active. It's very, very early,' the mayor added. 'We want to make sure there is no other gunman. We are checking every angle, I can assure you.'
His business was criticized by reviewers on Yelp.
An angry customer wrote: 'I would NOT recommend this firm to anyone. My initial interview was with Desai. I was asked to pay a $1,500 retainer, which I paid under the impression that things were going to be taken care of.
'The end result was that nothing could be done to help me. I don't understand why I was charged so much money for them to simply tell me, Sorry, we can't help you. Besides that, Nathan Desai acted very unprofessional by asking me (a paying client) out for dinner and drinks.
Police say DeSai used a .45-caliber pistol in the shooting, although he also had access to other weapons
Cops found a long gun and more ammunition in his Porsche Boxster, which was parked at his apartment nearby
'I understand that attorneys cannot guarantee outcomes or results, but I was very offended by the lack of professionalism. '
Another said: 'I give them 1 star because it's the lowest rating allowed. If it were possible I would give them a negative million star rating. To start with Kenneth McDaniels is a raging alcoholic, that constantly had alcohol on his breath at all times of the day.
'When I had court and was supposed to be represented by both DeSai and McDaniels they showed up late to court. I found them to be unprepared and inexperienced once they showed up.
'As for their fees, they completely over charged for what little services they provided. I'm talking about 9,000 dollars for just under 2 days worth of work.
'Then when the case began to become difficult they decided to stop representing me. So basically they did poor work, took my money, and ran off with my money before my case was anywhere close to being finished.
'I wouldn't recommend these two jokes to even my worst enemies for representation of any level of law. They should be investigated by the bar association.'
Mayor Sylvester Turner, who is in Cuba for a trade mission, said the lawyer was 'disgruntled'
At least 20 first responders (pictured) were at the Randalls supermarket strip center, one official said.
Police say DeSai used a .45-caliber pistol in the shooting, although there was also a long gun and more ammunition in his car, the Houston Chronicle reported.
'We wanted to make sure in view of what's happening across country and what's been happening recently, that this was not some act of terrorism, but one certainly can see when one has an incident of this kind it certainly creates terror on so many levels,' Turner said.
Officials have said there are 'questions' about his employment — but his partner denies it had anything to do with DeSai's motive for the shooting.
DeSai was listed as a partner at McDaniel & DeSai LLP, a Houston-based law firm, but authorities say he appeared to be disgruntled
Yet DeSai's former partner, Ken McDaniel, says the two split amicably because the economy had hurt their business
St. John B. Smith.
He denied there was bad blood between them or DeSai 'was possibly a fired employee, that he was disgruntled.'
'That’s the farthest thing from the truth,' McDaniel told Smith.
McDaniel said he and DeSai decided to 'dissolve their law practice because the weak economy had hurt business,' Smith reported.
'We couldn't afford to operate as a partnership anymore,' McDaniel told Smith.
Police in Houston have killed a gunman who shot at least nine people at a strip mall (pictured) early Monday.
Initial reports say the shooter struck nine people near Weslayan at Bissonnet in southwest Houston
Gunman shot dead by police after injuring seven in Houston
Some witnesses have described the gunman firing dozens of shots at cars passing through a condo complex, which is near the affluent West University Place community.
Several cars with bullet holes and shattered windows were at a parking lot near the condo complex.
Of the nine wounded, one is in critical condition, another is in serious condition and three people were treated and released, Montalvo said.
One official with the Houston Fire Department says ambulances have transported at least nine people to local hospitals
The suspect was reported about 6:30am as firing on vehicles with a revolver at a strip mall
Cars and windows had bullet holes at the scene where the suspect allegedly fired about 6:30am with a revolver at a strip mall.
Officials said the gunman shot from behind a tree.
Houston police said the suspect was shot by an officer, ABC13 reported.
Police 'engaged' with the shooter and eventually 'neutralized' him, KHOU reported.
His condition and identity remain unclear.
Nearby, there was increased police activity at an apartment complex on Law Street, ABC7 reported.
Houston police said the suspect has been shot by an officer. His condition remains unclear
One report has claimed there were 'bodies on the ground' at the scene, according ABC13.
Police considered the scene active and deployed a bomb squad after a suspicious vehicle was reported near the scene, according to the station.
At least 20 first responders were at the Randalls supermarket strip center, one official said.
'We received a call at 6:29 we had a shooting at the Petco store...the first units were directed to the parking lot where the shooting was still active,' said spokesman Jay Evans, of the Houston Fire Department , to ABC13.
'We now have approximately 20 EMS personnel vehicles on scene. We do not know, we do not have a count at this time as to how many people have been shot, but all of the people will be directed to local hospitals in the area that are going to be victims.'
Traffic in the area has been shut down since the shooting began.
It is unclear how many people were shot. One report has claimed there were 'bodies on the ground' at the scene
One witness said police exchanged gunfire with the suspect.
'I literally heard the gunshots past my face,' Antoine Wilson told ABC13.
'I'd never been in a standoff like this,' he added. 'It was a whole bunch of shooting. Too much shooting, actually.
Wilson said he saw a mean bleeding from the side of his face.
The shooting comes days after a shooting at a Washington state mall that left five people dead.
On Sept. 17, a 20-year-old man stabbed 10 people at a Minnesota mall before being shot to death by an off-duty police officer.
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Witnesses recount mass shooting in SW Houston
I wonder if those Yelp reviews are credible?
