Carnell Fitzgerald Meeks Jr, a 21-year-old African American man, was shot and killed in Houston, Texas, on January 23, 2025. The shooting occurred about 1 p.m. on Bailey Street after a verbal dispute over a gaming console between Meeks and 20-year-old Corey Dontaye James escalated into a physical altercation. Witnesses tried to intervene, and a 56-year-old woman who was attempting to break up the fight was also struck by gunfire.

Emergency responders transported both victims to a nearby hospital; Meeks was pronounced dead on arrival while the woman was treated and listed in stable condition. The Houston Police Department Homicide Division identified James as the primary suspect. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office filed charges including murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and James surrendered and was booked on January 27, 2025.

Meeks’ family and community are mourning a young life ended in public violence. If anyone witnessed the incident or has additional information about what happened on Bailey Street that afternoon, please come forward.