Another Tragedy in Texas

[Commander Cody]

Former Texas City residents killed in shooting

By T.J. Aulds
The Daily News
Published July 6, 2009

TEXAS CITY — A former Texas City resident and her 2-year-old daughter were killed in a triple fatal shooting in San Antonio early Sunday morning, police said. They have charged the woman’s boyfriend in the killings.

San Antonio police said the 26-year-old woman, the toddler and a male acquaintance were shot to death around 3 a.m. Sunday in an apartment complex.

Chris Allgood is charged with one count of murder, pending further investigation, and one count of discharging a firearm. He was in the Bexar County Jail in lieu of a $205,000 bond.

Allgood also is a native of Texas City and the son of a former Texas City police officer.

Police did not release the identities of the shooting victims, but Dale Gass confirmed his daughter, Courtney Gass, and his granddaughter, Anika, had been killed.

The identity of the third shooting victim could not be confirmed, but Dale Gass and San Antonio police said he also was from Texas City.

Gass only gave a brief statement on the shootings and said he did not have many details from San Antonio police about why his daughter and granddaughter were killed.

“We are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the investigation,” he said.

Dale Gass said he found out about the shootings while attending Baypoint Community Church in Texas City on Sunday morning.

Courtney Gass’ mother, Judy Bradley, said she was in shock and grieved for Allgood’s family, with whom she was close.

“We looked forward to being grandmothers together,” Bradley said, of Allgood’s mother. “I am sick for her, too.”

“No words can explain the excrutiating pain of losing my baby girl and granddaughter. I never dreamed this could ever happen, and my prayers go out to all family members involved. My heart is broken.”

Bradley said her daughter and Allgood had a troubled relationship and showed court records that included at least one past domestic violence charge in Galveston County, but there are no records of a conviction that could be confirmed Sunday.

She said she tried to convince her daughter to return home to Texas City after moving to San Antonio to be with Allgood in October.

“They had a huge fight, and she seemed ready to come home, but when I called her a week later, she said everything was all right,” Bradley said.

The couple started dating three years ago, Bradley said. Allgood is a musician, while Gass had an interest in photography, Bradley said.

Allgood’s family hung up the phone when contacted by The Daily News on Sunday.

The San Antonio Express-News reported police originally came to the apartment complex where the couple lived after a security guard reported he heard gunshots and found the 30-year-old suspect in the complex parking lot with an AK-47. Allgood originally was detained by the security guard and was taken to the jail to be charged with unlawfully discharging a weapon.

A couple of hours later, police were called back to the apartment complex after a concerned neighbor found the three bodies in the apartment Gass and Anika shared with Allgood.

Billy Watson, who lives in the apartment above, said he went to check on the family about 4 a.m. and discovered the gruesome scene. He told the Express-News he found Gass lying in the fetal position in a pool of blood in the living room and the baby and an unidentified male each fatally shot in separate beds in the back bedroom.

San Antonio police spokesman Sgt. Chris Benavides said alcohol likely played a role in what investigators believe is a domestic violence case.

Watson said he was with the couple Saturday night and saw Allgood drinking vodka, which he said has led to violent outbursts in the past.

“They were drinking Grey Goose,” Watson said in an interview with the Express-News. “And he was already kind of drunk when I left. When they would get drunk, they were two totally different people.”

Watson said Allgood called him later in the night and told him he had killed the three people in his apartment, but he didn’t believe his neighbor.

San Antonio Express-News reporters Eva Ruth Moravec and Michelle Mondo contributed to this report

[joe817]

That is so depressing. Such a waste of life. I said a prayer for those poor people who lost their lives.

A triple homicide and the bail was set at only $205,000??? That's absurd.

[bryang]

What a tragic lost, I just can not understand how anyone could take the life of a baby...so many families broken.

-geo