Crime

Stray bullet bedroom killing of Houston teen has police pleading for help as American dream dies in tragedy

A stray bullet came flying through a Bellaire Boulevard area apartment window killing 16-year-old David Yac as he laid out his clothes for work.
　　
Yac was hit in the head while in his bedroom closet, KHOU reports. When the police arrived, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 16-year-old and his mother, who immigrated from Guatemala, moved into their second story apartment at the Happy Village Apartments less than three months ago. They left Guatemala for a chance at a better life in the U.S., chasing the American dream. Instead, senseless violence snuffed out a promising life.

The bullet flew through the window into the closet where Yac had laid out his clothes to get dressed on Monday morning. The closet light was the only light on in Yac's bedroom.

At this time, there are no suspects. HPD Homicide Division officers are investigating. Anyone with information in this case is asked to call HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

"We need everyone’s help,” HPD detective Jesus Sosa tells KHOU.

Watch the full KHOU report:

unspecified

festive cities

Houston dazzles among top 10 most festive cities in America for 2025

River Oaks Christmas Lights in Houston TX/Facebook

The River Oaks Christmas Lights are a fun place to take families.

Houston has once again landed a coveted spot on Thumbtack's annual ranking of the most festive American cities in 2025.

Home services platform Thumbtack analyzed holiday light installation requests from customers from October 2024 to 2025 to determine the most festive U.S. cities. Rankings were based on the "relative frequency" of requests after being adjusted for the population of each state and metro area.

Houston ranked as the 6th most festive U.S. city this year, dropping two spots from its former No. 4 rank in 2024.

Locals searching for inspiration for their homes can find it at the many twinkly displays illuminating Houston for the holidays, from the iconic City Lights to the rustic Dewberry Farm light show. And the holiday season is beginning earlier with every passing year, according to Thumbtack.

"Homeowners are layering their look from October through December, swapping out pumpkins for pine boughs and adding sparkle as the season unfolds," the report said.

Other festive holiday events happening around Houston include cheery pop-up bars, holiday markets, and much more. CultureMap readers can also keep up with all of Houston's holiday happenings in our special editorial series.

Other big Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio also all landed top-10 spots in the report, proving the Lone Star State is much more festive than the rest of the country.

"From Texas to Florida, the South is setting the standard for holiday spirit, and in true Texas fashion, bigger is definitely brighter," the report said. "Mild winters and a strong sense of community keep the Lone Star State shining at the top."

Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Austin, Texas
No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 5 – Sacramento, California
No. 6 – Houston, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 9 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 10 – Atlanta, Georgia

festive cities holidays christmas rankings houston