Church Man Shot to Death in Houston
Michael Irving, A church volunteer worker (sound engineer) was shot to death in Houston after working the soundboard in a black history month event at the church on this past Friday night. Allegedly he was involved with a mail fraud case that was accusing him of stealing more than 1 million dollars. Here is the story although not confirmed, allegedly police are trying to identify if the shooting and his death is related to the case:
HOUSTON – A man was shot to death in Houston outside a church on Friday night.
Police say it appears to have been a targeted shooting in the parking lot of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. They say the victim was shot in the head.
Church members are mourning his loss and learning new details about his background.
“Oh Lord no,” a loved one cried out in pain outside the church grounds where Michael Irving was found shot to death.
Irving volunteered as a sound engineer for Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. On Friday night, he worked a black history event that had rented space at the church, and when it was over, told church security a ride was coming to pick him up.
“He told them no, to go ahead, that he was fine, his ride would be here soon, and the next thing we know we find out that he had been shot and killed,” said Dr. D.Z. Cofield, senior pastor for Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
The tragedy is hitting the church community hard.
“It hurts to know that you go to church and stuff like that can happen,” said church member Deddrick Sinegaure.
Cofield added, “The Michael that we know was a very dedicated and loving person. Loving father. Just recently had a son.”
Cofield says he learned only after the shooting that Irving was also a defendant in a federal wire fraud and identify theft case. Court documents show he was preparing for a plea deal and could have faced up to 30 years in prison.
Irving was accused of stealing more than $1 million, using his separate recording studio business to swipe fraudulent credit cards.
“This was something personal that we have no knowledge of,” said Cofield. “It’s not the Michael that we knew. It’s not the Michael that we saw as a trusted member of our staff family.”
Police are not commenting on that case, or whether it had anything to do with the murder. They say they don’t have a motive, but they do not believe it was a robbery.
Those who knew Michael have a different focus now: praying his killer is caught, and supporting the family left behind.
“His fiancée and his son are part of this church family as well so we’ll be here to serve them,” said Dr. Cofield.
Church member Louis Gilliam added, “We’ll just be prayerful of the family and hope we can come to some kind of closure.”
Source: KHOU.com
