Hero Son Shot Dead Protecting Mother From Purse Snatcher

James Weldon Ecford, the Houston man fatally shot in the head yesterday evening while trying to protect his mother from a suspected purse snatcher, is being hailed a hero on social media.

Ecford, 25, heard his mother’s screams after she was confronted from behind by an armed robber as she exited her vehicle, according to the Houston Police Department statement. An outcry of support on social media is being accompanied by the hashtag #HeroJamesEcford.

The woman screamed for help, at which point her son, James, came outside the home and chased the alleged robber. The two fought, and during the fight, the man allegedly produced a gun and shot Ecford in the head. He fired a second shot at Ecford’s mother but missed, according to the statement. The robber got into the back seat of a waiting vehicle and the driver sped from the scene, police say. The mother reported seeing a total of four black males, including the shooter, inside the car, according to police. h/t people

Authorities ask that Anyone with information is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.