LANCASTER – Three men have been charged with murder in connection with a daylight shooting in Lancaster last week that left a 21-year-old man dead. But the person who pulled the trigger has not been caught, witnesses said.
Terrell Henderson, 20, Joshua Lockett, 20, and Randy Sullivan, 34, were charged with murder and gang enhancements in connection with the death of 21-year-old Brandon Houston, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
The men appeared in an Antelope Valley courtroom Monday, but the case was postponed until Dec. 17 for arraignment and plea. Bail for each defendant was raised to $2 million.
“Those three guys definitely know who the shooter is,” said the Houston’s sister, Lakeisha Coulter. “We want them to give up the shooter.”
Coulter said she saw her baby brother gunned down last Thursday (Nov. 29) during a street brawl near the Cordova Park Apartments on Gadsden Avenue. A gunman wearing a black hoodie walked into the fray and began to open fire, Coulter said.
“He was shooting at my brother,” she said. “Once he went down, he kept shooting him… He walked up on him and just shot him all in the back, about five or six times.”
Coulter said the entire incident stemmed from a verbal dispute between Houston and the mother of his three-month-old son earlier that day at the Granada Villas Apartments on Gadsden Avenue.
During the argument, Houston’s son’s mother called her sister for a ride from Houston’s home. The sister sent her boyfriend, Terrell Henderson, who does not get along with Houston, Coulter said.
When Henderson came by the home, an argument and scuffle broke out as Houston was trying to kiss his son goodbye, Coulter said.
“He [Henderson] ran back to the car and was like ‘we’ll be back!’” Coulter said.
After the altercation, Houston walked to his friend’s house. Coulter said she and other family members followed because they felt “something was not right”. She said they met up with Houston and his friends down the street on Gadsden, and about 30 minutes later, Henderson and his friends came back. The men circled the area in a car and then took off, Coulter said.
“We didn’t see them anymore so we thought they were gone,” Coulter said. “About two minutes later, we looked up, and there they come, through the inside of the Cordova Apartments.”
“I only remember seeing four come through the gate. It was the shooter and the three [Henderson, Lockett, Sullivan],” Coulter added.
She said the two sides exchanged words and then a huge fight broke out, with Houston and seven or eight of his friends on one side and Henderson, Lockett, and Sullivan on the other.
“The shooter came from inside the car and he just started shooting,” Coulter said, adding that her brother and a friend ran into a dirt field as they tried to dodge the bullets.
“He got him in his leg, and my brother’s friend tried to hold him up. He was trying to drag him and telling him “Come on, Brandon! Come on!” Coulter said. “He shot him somewhere else that made him go down, and once he went down he kept shooting him.”
Coulter said the gunmen stood over Houston and shot him about six times before the group fled the scene. She said she did not know the gunman and did not recognize him from being in the area.
“I can’t describe him because he was wearing a hoodie over his head, but when I see him, I’ll know,” Coulter said.
Later that afternoon, the three were arrested at Henderson and Sullivan’s residence in the 200 Block of Kildare Street in Lancaster. The men were booked for murder early the next morning (Nov. 30).
No other suspects have been arrested in connection with the shooting, Sheriff’s Homicide Detective Holly Francisco said Tuesday.
“It’s just the three right now, Henderson, Sullivan and Lockett, and the investigation is ongoing,” Francisco said. She said she could not reveal further details on the incident because she did not want to jeopardize the ongoing investigation.
Coulter said her brother was not a gang member, and had no gang tattoos on his body. She said Houston was on the verge of going back to school and getting his life together for the sake of his three-month-old son.
“Once his son was here, 99% of his time was spent with his son,” she said. “He had been helping to take care of my sister’s kids, plus his son and my Mom. He was a good person, he didn’t deserve this.”
Detectives are asking anyone with information on this case to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
Related stories:
3 arrested for murder in daylight shooting death
Man shot to death in Lancaster
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narina says
this panks dont know what been real gang is,they need there asses get lock up for few hours with hard core criminals gangsters maybe then they will reconsider join the club,stupid if you ask me…
narina says
i dont have heart for this fools,on the streets they act tough,big and bad ,but i see how you be in prizon when you become somebody else bitch,karma is bitch,they will get what coming to them…because god dont like ugly….
Sad Situation says
Man it’s sad to see something like this happen to anybody but im going to keep it real. Brandon Houston was a gang member. Anybody who knew Brandon knows he was. At eastside high, and desert winds continuation school. He didnt mind letting you know where he was from. The thing i dont get is why family members won’t own up to it. They know about the drama he came with. Fighting in the street, hanging out all times of the night, probation, getting kicked out of school, wearing blue clothing, saying cuz, hanging out inthe park circle apartments on the eastside. thats just a few of the things i know he went through and did. The saddest part is that now he won’t be able to raise his son. People the signs were there to me from the begging since i knew him. He would rather fright and gang bang and smoke weed and do whatever else. Come on now lets set the scene here just from an outsiders view who didnt know any of these people. You get into an argument with the mother of your child. She calls her sister’s boyfriend who he doesn’t get along with. He goes and gets his friends to fight basiclly. He dies. You cant sit here and read all these articles about this story and not see the signs. This young man was a gang member no doubt. I was in school with him and lived on the same street with him. I’ve seen him and his brother Keyon both fighting, smoking, drinking, gang banging. So sad to see. I really do hate it for his family and the mother of his child’s family. To both families: If you know who did it say something to the police please. Dont take matters into your own hands.
the truth needs to be told says
Its funny that his family changes there story. There trying to put 3 guys away just cuzz they had a fight. His sister was in court saying she said eastcoast 190 which Brandon was from. They need to arrest the twin that called the other guys. Being a x gangbanger i can tell you this.if he was a crip living in Palmdale that was the easiest time to shot him. I bet any money on it that it was one of then bloods that killed cuzz. No doubt. The three ain’t taking cuzz they don’t know who that shooter was. [removed] they ran for they life to. This is a real messed up case. I know Brandon family and there gangsters. Some bloods, some crips. From.
Lbc insane
Eastcoast 190
Farm Dogg cpt crip
Etg 8tray3
Nbcc
Notagain!!!! says
TO REX PERRIS!!! HERES MY PROPOSE NEW LAW TO THE CITY OF LANCASTER!! 3 STRIKES YOUR OUT OF LANCASTER AN SENT BACK TO CITY OF LA!!!
WonderWoman says
How can we thank you enough, City of Lancaster, for forcing your progressive vision of the late 80s and early 90s down our throats even though we voted against your plan? Without your myopic vision we would not have been able to enjoy the element you have attracted here since building that all important revenue generating prison. Nor would we have been able to enjoy sharing our lives and belongings with the criminal element it attracted to the area. Guess there was a method to your madness after all: you left us with an overabundance of empty housing tracts in order to support the Section 8 housing industry.
Beervana says
Well said WonderWoman.
William says
I’ll drink to that. The ‘real’ bandits in the Section 8 industry are the owners of the houses who get our tax dollars so they don’t have to rent on the open market.
No one is forcing them to be ‘Section 8 OK’. Look at the classifieds in the AV Press for large upscale homes, some with pools, that are Section 8 OK. It’s ourtrageous. yet we are always directed to blame the fraudsters for the problem to distract us from who is making money from it.
really says
William, Get real!!! Yes owners have a responsibility, however the ultimate responsibility lies with the recipients who ruin neighborhoods
Tommy Tactical says
Hmmmm, sounds like a balance of nature to me. One dead, three in jail and a forth soon to be arrested. Five fools off the streets = PRICELESS!!!
Veniecia says
This is one of the most hateful disgusting things I have ever heard. You must truly be a sick individual to allow sometlhing so evil escape your mind. Brandon was and will always be a close friend of mine. He very rarely indulged in negative confrontation . He was one of the sweetest respectable generous men that I have ever met and for u to disrespect him and the rest of our race like that is flabbergasting. But u no what there is a place for people like u ….. It’s called HELL. How would u feel if your son was gunned down because of another persons ignorance. He no choice but to fight, if a group of guys approached you outside of your place of residence with the intent to hurt u , u would be a damn fool to not protect yourself. I just hope you rebuke all that evil.out of your soul.before it’s your.time to go , cuz if not ur gonna be sitting right next to.the FOOLISH BLACK guy who took Brandon’s life.
vona says
I didn’t mean to dislike the comment
really says
All the banter about this case is funny! Sounds like all parties involved were turds. Forgive me if I dont care if they arrested some other turds who didnt pull the trigger but know who did. Further had all parties involved had any class or character they wouldnt have been fighting in the streets much less at a time when all their dumb asses should have been at work! I know its asking a lot to have grown men behave like grown men who go to work and dont quarrel with each other in the street like savages. Its just too bad that they all didnt simultaneously shoot each other!
ignorancesisbliss. says
Valerie what was so immature abt that comment? I think five others liked my comment. Please let me kno were the immaturity is in my comment.
Valerie says
Ignorance i wasnt talking about what u type where you put mature it should have been the girl is immature no offense
Valerie says
Ignorance stop being ignorant
TreeHugger says
When something like this terrible mess happens, it’s interesting to read the comments made by friends of the victim.
I wish everyone who starts shooting their mouths off about, God this, God that, God’s will, praying to God, praising the Lord, Thy will be done, God works in mysterious ways, would lose their eyesight and grow big warts and moles all over their faces. I’m so sick of “criminal, evil, lying people” jumping on the Jesus Bus everytime one of their homeboys gets killed doing what he does. And then they won’t step up and identify the shooter by name when you know there was 25-30 people watching the fight. Seems hypocritical as Hail!
TreeHugger says
oh yeah, I forgot the Holy Ghost touching them. shhhhhhhsh
ignoranceisbliss says
SERIOUS RANDY SULLIVAN you were the oldest of the group and that’s what kind of role model you are to them? i hope and pray you go to jail for atleast 15 to 20 years. your a coward probably with short man complex carrying a gun to feel big…and to the girl that called them, you need to be charged with something.if you knew they didnt like each other what did you think was gonna become of the situation? hugs and kisses?
TO BRANDON HOUSTON’S family im so sorry for your lost and if i were you id take that girl to court and get custody of my nephew. she showed how mature she is and im pretty sure the judge would grant you all custody of your brother’s baby.
Valerie says
Hey ignorance thats immature not mature
get it rite says
if you read it right Randy wasn’t carrying a gun.and why hasn’t the news said anything about brandon getting shot at last week. or about his candles and stuff where he died at getting burned.the shooter is still at large and they have these 3 guys thats innocent but cause there black they trying to charge them with murder.the girl said the shooter with the 3 guy’s came thru the gate, but she also said during the fight the shooter came from out the car and started shooting. something is fishy about this shooting. seems like she saw the shooter and can describe him.
really says
All parties involved were black you dumbass! Im sure the cops jailed these black men because they are black and not because they were fighting like animals in the street… I mean hell the shooter was probably the one white guy that lives in those apartments right…..Everybody involved in this and advocating for any side here is a message. Move to San Bernadino, housing is cheap its a great place for the type of class you fools bring. And by you fools I dont mean Black folks, I mean people who fight in the street like animals, defend people who fight in the street like animals or who in any other way behave like trash and leave a path of carnage and destruction where ever they travel or live!
booty says
I agree
Nonofyourbusiness says
What is the baby mamma and sister name ? They giving up every bodies else’s
TreeHugger says
Nonofyourbusiness
G says
That sister should be brought up on charges. Why would you send your boyfriend to pick her up knowing there’s bad blood between the two men, it’s like she had alterior motives. Like maybe wanting him beat up for upsetting her sister, and it escalated from there. Poor child has to grow up without his father, at the fault of his auntie. Sad and unfortunate story! Bless the family of this young man lost as well as the child he left behind.
Jamall says
thats crazy same [removed] you went to school wit be the same [removed] to shoot ya , Its ah cold world R.I.P BRANDON
Notagain!!!! says
Why am I not surprised? Grown MEN fighting like kids!!! A civilized person with common sense would have walk away from the drama. instead you have Adults trying to proved themselves but all they are is coward!!! Take the gun man for example, he kept shooting the victim over an over!! There was more of them against one person!! I bet you none of these guys have jobs or want to get one!!! Now one person is gone!! When will it ever END!!!
VWFish says
The fact that she called these individuals will haunt her for the rest of her days…She is the one to look in the mirror everyday AND when her son asks “Where is Papi” she will relive it all over again…. Welcome to the world of Mental Health…
justbeingreal says
Im glad it will haunt her…….I hopes she see his cold dead body laying on the ground every time she closes her eyes. What a bad choice. I hope she wakes up screaming in the night, like his children will.
VWFish says
I see lots of drinking, dope, and abuse of the children coming…thats the “new trend” for young peeps to soothe their problems…
“RUN FORREST RUN”….. :-(
D says
You people who think this is my cousin’s fault need to learn how to read and understand things. She called her sister for a ride. One guy and her boyfriend, who already didn’t like eachother, got into a argument and fight and he came back with his friends. Shots were fired on a young man is gone. Point fingers at the point who were throwing fists and pulling triggers, not my lil cousin who only called her sister to pick her up. She didn’t want anything to happen to the father of her child. You people are stupid.
naesayer says
So, does her sister have a car and a license? Or, did she know who was coming to pick her up and allowed it, knowing it was gonna cause a problem? Some people like drama all the time.
ignoranceisbliss says
ok so she called her sister for a ride, that neva happened. why because she was sitting on her lazy ass smoking a blunt? instead she sends her boyfriend and friends… grrrr i hate ghetto ignorant people. hello once you have kids you should grow up and leave all the immature stuff behind you…
Go Getter says
I’m sorry but this is irritating tf outta me. Her sister has no car. his bm knew what she was doing by calling her sister. Brandon had just posted on fb how much he hated his bm… Get real please.
Miya says
Breaks my heart to read this smh. Every drive by K & Gasden i blow a kiss in your honor. God works in mysterious ways and im glad i was able to be blessed w. your spirit. Our last words exchanged jst so happened to be ‘goodnight’ so relive in paradise for you have done your time here. goodnight angel <3 RIP Brandon
MR.? says
My prayers go out to mr houston his son ms coulter the sullivans family lockettes and the henderdson family these youngsters just threw there lives away this generation is all [removed] up look this gose out to all youngsters tha street life has no benefits yall want to shoot a gun and kill so bad join tha army at least u get paid for and good benefits 34 year old boy yes i said boy because real men make wiser moves then that so tha gunmen runnin cause he scared chalk it up only cowards run
Mrs williams says
Oh Brandon! You were such a sweetheart to me when I was your teacher! My heart just breaks for your family, for your baby!
I won’t forget you, honey! You weren’t a tragedy, or another statistic, you were my
Sweet, smart student, a young man with dreams. May God comfort your
Family and friends, and may your baby one day know how precious you were!
justbeingreal says
I think his baby momma needs to be arrested for solicitation of murder. She is the one that got these other guys involved. Whats up with that. Why isnt she arrested?????
Letlow says
I somewhat agree with you, but this poor baby already lost his father. No sense in losing his mother too. Sad situation all around.
Beervana says
I don’t want to thumbs down your comment, however, the child might be better off with someone else. Look into the crystal ball and see that baby’s future. I’m sure she loves that baby and hopefully will take a clue from this horrible circumstance and get her own life together away from the gang stuff. I bet she was at the social security office the next morning, filing for survivor benefits for the baby. I wonder if he ever had a real job? hmm okay bio
Andrew says
And the cycle continues…..
Christy Lowes says
She need to be in jail as well .. This is all her fault anyways
MR.? says
I don’t think houstons babysmama wanted this to happen i was reading tha story and it said she called her sister her sister kicked up all this dust and it says she did’nt like houston but i definitely think tha sister should get tha same sentence as tha triggerboy and tha rest of tha boys especially if she knew there was bad blood between tha two
justbeingreal says
Then her sister should be arrested.
narina says
because baby mama,need her ass kick and need be arrested,so all rest
eric says
its crazy out here not the same place for 15 yrs ago …everyone wants to be that big gang member now days sad but just look around us
dave says
May god be by the family side, for there loss of there loved one
dave says
Rip Houston,And sorry for the familys lost,The real victim are the family members who have to deal with the lost child.