Posted on May 07, 2022

A Texas high school sophomore was shot dead while being held captive at home by her mother’s gun-toting boyfriend early Friday morning, authorities said.

The victim’s father identified her to KPRC as 16-year-old Lauren Juma. She was pronounced dead at the scene in the Houston suburb of Humble.

Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office arrested the suspected shooter, 60-year-old Van Brisbon, who was booked into jail on a charge of murder.

A sergeant quoted the murder suspect as telling cops “You do what you have to do” at the time of his arrest, according to ABC13 reporting.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a statement that Brisbon “was not cooperative with investigators and a motive for the murder is unknown at this time.”

According to the sheriff, the incident began unfolding just after 1 a.m. Friday, when Lauren’s sister called 911 to report that their mother’s live-in boyfriend, Brisbon, was holding the 16-year-old at gunpoint.

As deputies responded to the family’s home in the 20400 block of Canton Trace Lane in Humble and were approaching the front door, they heard multiple gunshots.

Brisbon then exited the house and was detained. Inside, deputies found Juma dead. Cops said the teen had been shot multiple times.

Juma’s 19-year-old sister was not inside the home at the time of the shooting but was standing outside, and their mother was out of town.

The girl’s dad told Fox 26 Juma was a sophomore at Nimitz High School. Her dream was to join the military or become a police officer when she grew up, he said.

The father added that his daughter was hardworking and sweet, She is survived by her three sisters and a brother.

Original article: https://nypost.com/2022/04/29/texas-teen-girl-shot-dead-while-held-captive-by-moms-boyfriend/