Man Charged After Mosque Shooting in West Harris County

HOUSTON, Texas – A 27-year-old man has been charged in connection with a shooting that wounded a man outside a mosque in west Harris County earlier this month.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to an aggravated assault call at approximately 10:40 p.m. on May 23 at Masjid Hamza Mission Bend Islamic Center.

When deputies arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the hand. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

Detectives learned from witnesses that a homeless man known to frequent the property had been loitering at the mosque and was asked to leave. According to investigators, the man became upset, pulled a handgun from his backpack, and fired two shots, striking the victim once.

The suspect was identified as Hamzah Sheikh.

On May 27, deputies assigned to District 1 Patrol responded to a suspicious person call at Masjid Bilal Mosque. Deputies located Sheikh and took him into custody on an unrelated felony warrant.

Authorities said Sheikh was found in possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest and was booked into the Harris County Joint Processing Center.

Following further investigation, detectives with the Violent Offenders Unit charged Sheikh with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon in connection with the May 23 shooting.

The investigation remains ongoing.