Woman recovering after husband reportedly shot her: ‘He wanted something different’

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston police were called out to Estefani Carrizales’ home on Saturday after an argument with her common-law husband and father of her four children, Raul Garcia, turned violent.

“I just kept hearing the shots and I took off running. I tried to hide behind the truck and that wasn’t working. I heard the gunshots everywhere, breaking the window. When the tire got flat, I heard it and as soon as I heard that, I just ran,” explained Carrizales.

After shooting Carrizales in the leg, police say Garcia barricaded himself in the southeast home with their four children for hours. In the end, the children, ranging in age from 14 to three years old, were not hurt.

“I knew they were going to be safe because he would never hurt them. He will do whatever to me, but not them. I know that for a fact,” said Carrizales.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Garcia was charged with assault of a family member involving Carrizales in 2005. Since then, he has been convicted of assault, evading arrest, discharging a firearm, and served time in jail after shooting at his neighbor in 2017.

When the SWAT situation happened on Saturday, charging documents show Garcia was out on bond from a 2020 criminal mischief charge stemming from throwing a brick at Carrizales’ car.

“I’ve run out of the house before screaming, neighbors called the cops, cops don’t show up until 8 p.m. What’s the point then? I had to get shot for them to get here in five minutes? It’s sad but it’s true,” said Carrizales.

Carrizales said it was not as simple as kicking him out of the house. He also told her their relationship would change for the better.

“He came back into the relationship saying he wanted something different. I accepted it, you know? He is my kids’ dad. But just sometimes, I wish I wouldn’t,” said Carrizales.

Neighbors told they are glad Garcia is in the Harris County Jail for now and that he has been causing trouble in their southeast Houston neighborhood for years.

“He gets out of control, and when he gets out of control, he does wild and crazy stuff,” explained neighbor Tracy Bradley.

Bradley told it was his nephew who Garcia was convicted of shooting at in 2017. He said Garcia is the reason for all of the ‘No Trespassing’ signs and their tall fence.

“We have them all right there and all in the backyard and everything else because of him,” said Bradley.

Carrizales said she and Garcia have been together since she was a teenager.

“I still have his kids. That’s their dad. They are going to want to see him even if I don’t,” said Carrizales.

Garcia has been charged with aggravated assault of a family member and is being held without bond in the Harris County Jail.