Tony Harris was 21 when he was fatally shot in Houston on April 16, 2015. His death came during a year that saw a sharp rise in violent crime across the city, with Houston recording 297 homicides in 2015, a 23% increase from the previous year.

Authorities linked the year’s surge in killings to factors cited in many cases that year: gang activity, greater availability of firearms, disputes that escalated into violence, and tensions between law enforcement and communities. Houston’s Homicide Division, alongside specialized units such as the Cold Case Squad and the Gang Squad and federal partners including the ATF, investigated these deaths and worked to address the flow of illegal guns believed to fuel much of the violence.

Tony Harris was one of several young victims whose deaths underscored the city’s challenge in curbing lethal disputes often tied to drugs, gangs, and unlawfully carried firearms. If anyone has information about the shooting of Tony Harris or remembers events from April 16, 2015, please come forward.