15-year-old Girl Shot 22 Times While Walking Family Dog in Houston, Texas

Tragic news coming out of Houston, Texas this morning. A 15-year-old girl was out walking the family's dog when she was shot. Not once, not twice. But 22 times.

The family told investigators that they became concerned when they heard the gunshots outside. They called her phone and received no answer. But then they opened the door and noticed the family dog returned home after the walk. But their daughter didn't.

After doing a preliminary search in the neighborhood, her family found her body in a field.

The girl's mother, Anna Machado, said that despite efforts to resuscitate her daughter using CPR, she died.

The girl's stepfather, Tito Moczygemba, told KPRC 2′s Brittany Jeffers "whoever shot this girl 22 times in the back, they are cowards.”

The young girl has been identified as Diamond Alvarez. A sophomore at Houston's Madison High School, Alvarez was out walking the family dog Tuesday night in the 15400 block of Park Manor--a neighborhood in southwest Houston--when she was shot at around 9:30 p.m.

Police were called. According to KETK, when they arrived on the scene, officers discovered a scene truly horrible to comprehend. Houston's KRPC said, "witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and then the sound of tires squealing as a vehicle fled the area, according to HPD (Houston Police Department)."

HPD also said they heard "a dark-colored vehicle that was seen traveling north on Markwood could have possibly been involved in the shooting. They are looking in the area to see if there is any surveillance video nearby."

If you have any info regarding this tragic case, please call the Houston Police Homicide  Division at 713-308-3600. You can alternatively contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.