HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston Mayor John Whitmire followed through on a promise Thursday, handing a University of Houston student the keys to a new car months after her vehicle was riddled with police gunfire during an arrest attempt.
Abigail Trujillo received a new Honda Civic paid for by the mayor and anonymous donors. The Houston Police Officers’ Union also paid off the remaining balance on her original vehicle.
The July incident happened at the Highland Village shopping center, where Houston police officers fired at a vehicle while attempting to make an arrest. Trujillo’s car was struck by gunfire, and her initial claim seeking relief from the city was denied.
Whitmire personally contacted ABC13 several weeks ago, saying he wanted to make things right for Trujillo. The mayor also said the city was reviewing property damage claims to determine whether others might qualify for compensation.
“I think we’ve certainly improved her circumstances, and we’ve all learned a lot from this,” Whitmire said Thursday.
Trujillo said she was grateful for the assistance after dealing with the aftermath of the shooting.
“I’m super grateful, and I’m glad I got out of this situation,” she said.
The city has nearly 400 property damage claims on file, according to Houston officials. Processing a claim, whether it is approved or denied, typically takes about two weeks.
Whitmire said the city’s legal department is reviewing claims to determine whether others may warrant similar relief. He did not have an update on how many claims had been flagged for further consideration.
Attorney Jeffrey Redfern, a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice, said Texas law may require cities to compensate people whose property is damaged by government actions, even when those people are not the intended targets of law enforcement activity.
Redfern pointed to a 1980 Texas Supreme Court ruling involving the Texas Constitution’s takings clause, which limits the government’s ability to take or damage private property without providing compensation when the law requires it.
“The Texas Constitution’s ‘Takings’ clause basically specifically waives whatever immunity cities might have for these kinds of claims,” Redfern said.
Redfern said cities should review their policies to ensure they comply with the law.
“The law in Texas is pretty clear on this,” he said. “It’s apparent a number of cities aren’t aware of this, or haven’t been following it.”
Redfern said the Institute for Justice hopes cities will change their practices and warned that legal action could follow if they fail to comply.
ABC13 requested records of Houston’s property damage claims filed since 2024. The records show the city has paid a relatively small share of those claims.
So far in 2026, Houston has paid out 18% of the claims filed, down from 32% in 2025 and 26% in 2024.
The city has not yet disclosed how many claims are being reviewed for potential compensation following Trujillo’s case.
“This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.“