Cornelius Williams, 36, was fatally shot on August 9, 2017, while driving in northeast Houston with his 6-year-old nephew. An unidentified assailant approached their vehicle and fired multiple times. Williams tried to flee but lost control and crashed into a fire hydrant a short distance away. Bystanders removed the child and provided aid until emergency responders arrived; Williams was taken to Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital, where he later died. The boy was uninjured but transported to the hospital as a precaution.

Houston Police opened a homicide investigation but initially had no description of a suspect or vehicle and have publicly appealed for witnesses to come forward. What did anyone in northeast Houston see or hear that afternoon that could help identify who carried out this attack?