Shoot-out in suburbia: Assault rifle-wielding men cause chaos across Houston - riddling cars with bullets, killing a bystander and setting a gas station on fire as they engage in wild gun battle

  • Two gunmen started firing at each other in residential Houston at 10.15am
  • One 'hit a gas pump, starting fire' as shooting went through a gas station
  • A civilian was shot dead by a random bullet that burst through his window 
  • Eventually one gunman was shot dead by the other, then a SWAT team officer shot and wounded the surviving gunman 
  • Two police officers were wounded - one shot in the body, one in the hand
  • Three other civilians were shot and wounded and taken to hospital  
  • Both supsects were armed with assault rifles, possibly AR-15s, police said

By Reuters and Dailymail.com Reporter

Published: 13:24 EST, 29 May 2016 | Updated: 02:38 EST, 30 May 2016

Two men have died and six are wounded after gunmen unleashed an hours-long random attack on a residential street in Houston, police said.

Gunshots were first heard at 10.15am in west Houston, Texas. When officers arrived, the suspects turned their fire to the police and began showering bullets, seemingly at random, across the streets. 

One bullet hit a gas pump, sparking a fire. Dozens of cars were hit by stray bullets, narrowly missing drivers who were passing through the quiet residential area.

At 12.30pm, a civilian was shot dead in his car as a bullet burst through the window.

Minutes later, one of the armed men shot the other suspect dead.

The surviving gunman was then shot and wounded by a SWAT team officer. He was taken to hospital.  

During the shooting, two officers were shot - one in the hand and one in his body but survived thanks to his bulletproof vest, according to ABC13. Another three civilians were also shot and wounded. 

Both gunmen were armed with assault rifles, believed to be AR-15s, police said. 

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 

Shock: Residents stand in shock after eight people were shot in this residential street by two assault-rifle-armed gunmen who showered bullets into cars. One civilian was killed, a gunman was killed, one was wounded

Shock: Residents stand in shock after eight people were shot in this residential street by two assault-rifle-armed gunmen who showered bullets into cars. One civilian was killed, a gunman was killed, one was wounded

Gunshots were first heard at 10.15am in west Houston, Texas. When officers arrived, the suspects turned their fire to the police and began showering bullets across the streets (one of the bullet-hit cars, pictured)

Gunshots were first heard at 10.15am in west Houston, Texas. When officers arrived, the suspects turned their fire to the police and began showering bullets across the streets (one of the bullet-hit cars, pictured)

A Cconstable car with a shot-out window remains at the scene where Houston police were investigating a shooting in Houston

A Cconstable car with a shot-out window remains at the scene where Houston police were investigating a shooting in Houston

Houston police released this image of one of their squad cars riddled with bullet holes. They added that the officer was lucky to be alive 

Houston police released this image of one of their squad cars riddled with bullet holes. They added that the officer was lucky to be alive 

One gunman even fired into the front of the car with their high-powered rifles 

One gunman even fired into the front of the car with their high-powered rifles 

They even fired at a police helicopter.  

One motorist showed KHOU how a bullet burst through his passenger window, blew through two seats and out another window - as he sat in the driver's seat.

Another man spoke to the station through his shattered window, which was grazed by a bullet.   

The shooting situation was still active as of 1pm Central Time, the Houston Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Police advised residents to stay away from the area.

The wounded suspect was transported to a nearby hospital.

Earlier police said officers were responding to reports of a male firing shots in an area of west Houston just east of the Sam Houston Tollway, a major highway dissecting the Texas city.

Television news footage showed cars in the area with their windows smashed, apparently from random gunshots.  

'There was a lot of confusion,' a police spokesman told reporters at a press conference at 1.30pm Central Time. 

The spokesman described the shooters as both male, either white or Hispanic.  

One bullet hit a gas pump as the shooting went through a gas station (pictured), sparking a fire. Dozens of cars were hit by stray bullets, narrowly missing drivers who were passing through the quiet residential area

One bullet hit a gas pump as the shooting went through a gas station (pictured), sparking a fire. Dozens of cars were hit by stray bullets, narrowly missing drivers who were passing through the quiet residential area

The spokesman described the shooters as both male, either white or Hispanic

The spokesman described the shooters as both male, either white or Hispanic

Houston Police briefs reporters on the shooting situation that was still active as of 1pm

Houston Police briefs reporters on the shooting situation that was still active as of 1pm

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