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Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Image 2 of 23 The scene outside the club where the shooting took place early Wednesday morning. The scene outside the club where the shooting took place early Wednesday morning. Image 3 of 23 Police investigate the Houston club shootings. Police investigate the Houston club shootings. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 4 of 23 Fliers for the after party are seen in the parking lot. Fliers for the after party are seen in the parking lot. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 5 of 23 Image 6 of 23 Houston rapper Trae was wounded and three others were killed early Wednesday morning in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip club in southwest Houston. Houston rapper Trae was wounded and three others were killed early Wednesday morning in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip club in southwest Houston. Image 7 of 23 Police investigate three killings at a Houston club early Wednesday. Police investigate three killings at a Houston club early Wednesday. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 8 of 23 Bystanders gather near the club where the shootings were reported to have happened. Bystanders gather near the club where the shootings were reported to have happened. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 9 of 23 Bystanders gather near the club where the shootings were reported to have happened. Bystanders gather near the club where the shootings were reported to have happened. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 10 of 23 Image 11 of 23 Bystanders gather near the club where the shootings were reported to have happened. Bystanders gather near the club where the shootings were reported to have happened. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 12 of 23 Police investigate three killings at a Houston club early Wednesday. Police investigate three killings at a Houston club early Wednesday. Photo: Johnny Hanson / Chronicle Image 13 of 23 Two men and a woman died and two other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip center near a gentleman’s club in southwest Houston early Wednesday evening. (Dale Lezon / Houston Chronicle ) less Two men and a woman died and two other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip center near a gentleman’s club in southwest Houston early Wednesday evening. (Dale Lezon / Houston ... more Image 14 of 23 Two men and a woman died and two other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip center near a gentleman’s club in southwest Houston early Wednesday evening. (Dale Lezon / Houston Chronicle ) less Two men and a woman died and two other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip center near a gentleman’s club in southwest Houston early Wednesday evening. (Dale Lezon / Houston ... more Image 15 of 23 Image 16 of 23 2011 FILE PHOTO -- Friends and family including rapper, Trae, center, listen to testimonies, during a candlelight vigil for Dominic Levar Brown, better known as, Money Clip D, Nov. 30, 2011, at Amity Park in Houston. Brown, 34, described as "right-hand man" to Trae, was sitting in a car and talking to friends outside the Breakers after-hours club in the 9600 block of Bissonnet when an unknown gunman opened fire. less 2011 FILE PHOTO -- Friends and family including rapper, Trae, center, listen to testimonies, during a candlelight vigil for Dominic Levar Brown, better known as, Money Clip D, Nov. 30, 2011, at Amity Park in ... more Photo: Todd Spoth / For The Chronicle Image 17 of 23 2009 FILE PHOTO -- Police tape marks the spot where at least 5 people were shot July 22, 2009, at Texas Southern University during an event celebrating Houston area rapper Trae the Truth. 2009 FILE PHOTO -- Police tape marks the spot where at least 5 people were shot July 22, 2009, at Texas Southern University during an event celebrating Houston area rapper Trae the Truth. Photo: Billy Smith II / Houston Chronicle Image 18 of 23 2010 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth, aka Frasier Thompson III, smiles at a news conference, May 5, 2010, in front of the Harris County Civil Courthouse to announce the filing of a lawsuit against Radio One/KBXX, The Box, which had banned his music from receiving airplay. less 2010 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth, aka Frasier Thompson III, smiles at a news conference, May 5, 2010, in front of the Harris County Civil Courthouse to announce the filing of a lawsuit against ... more Photo: Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle Image 19 of 23 2008 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae, aka Frasier Thompson III, walks up to receive a proclamation during a Houston City Council meeting making July 10, 2008, officially Trae Day because of the rapper's community service. less 2008 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae, aka Frasier Thompson III, walks up to receive a proclamation during a Houston City Council meeting making July 10, 2008, officially Trae Day because of the rapper's ... more Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle Image 20 of 23 Image 21 of 23 2008 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae, aka Frasier Thompson III, talks to fans at the Sharpstown Mall parking lot where the Trae Day celebration was happening July 10, 2008, in Houston. 2008 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae, aka Frasier Thompson III, talks to fans at the Sharpstown Mall parking lot where the Trae Day celebration was happening July 10, 2008, in Houston. Photo: Houston Chronicle Image 22 of 23 2006 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae at Slick Willies in 2006. 2006 FILE PHOTO -- Houston rapper Trae at Slick Willies in 2006. Photo: Bill Olive / FOR THE CHRONICLE Image 23 of 23 Rapper hurt, three slain at club in SW Houston 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

A popular Houston rapper was wounded and three others were slain early Wednesday morning in a shooting in the parking lot of a strip center near a club in southwest Houston.

The shooting happened about 3:30 a.m. at 9850 Westpark near Tanglewilde, according to the Houston Police Department.

Police said two men and a woman, whose names have not been released, died at the scene as hundreds of people were gathered in the parking lot.

One of the wounded was transported by private vehicle to Memorial Hermann. The other wounded man was taken by paramedics to Ben Taub General Hospital, police said. Their names were not released, but witnesses said Trae the Truth, a popular Houston rapper was among those wounded.

His publicist, Nancy Byron, confirmed he had been wounded. But, she added, he’s fine and has been released from the hospital.

“Thank God, he’s a live,” Byron said. She said spoke to him briefly and was unable to gather details about the shooting from him. She said he is very shocked.

A picture of the singer in the hospital was tweeted early Wednesday.

Everybody TRAE is ok. Minor gunshot wound.

Everybody TRAE is ok. Minor gunshot wound. twitter.com/LowLifeDynasty… — Joshua(@LowLifeDynasty) June 20, 2012

A flyer advertising a “Skittles B-Day” concert Tuesday night at Diamonds Gentleman’s Club was found on the ground. The flyer also announces a “Trae Concert After Party” at nearby Club Blue. Witnesses said the shooting occurred when people were coming out of Club Blue after a Trae Tha Truth concert.

Trae Tha Truth is the stage name of Frazier Thompson III, who has been active in the Houston rap scene since 1998. He has been recognized by city officials for his service to the community.

In 2008, then-Mayor Bill White designated July 22 as “Trae Day”, meant to celebrate the work of Trae with at-risk youth in Houston. In 2009, the event was marred when six people were shot on Texas Southern University campus, where the event was held that year.

Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the gunfire Wednesday morning and so far have no suspects in the shooting. An HPD spokesman, Victor Senties, said that investigators think the shooting could be connected to a domestic dispute that occurred on Father’s Day, however details of that dispute and how it may be related to the shooting are unclear.

Senties said the shooting also may be related to a shooting that occurred in November. He did not release details that led investigators to believe the two shootings could be connected.

Few other details were immediately available. Investigators said they interviewed about 10 people who may have been witnesses to the shooting. However, police said, most of the witnesses questioned at the scene were not forthcoming with any information about what they might have seen or heard.

The shooting is especially terrible because the woman who was killed was apparently an innocent bystander, said Kevin Carr, an HPD investigator. Carr said the woman was walking through the parking lot with a friend and had not gone to the concert and was not connected to any of the other shooting victims.

“Now, she’s never going to be able to go home again,” he said.

Carr said the shooting may possibly be connected to a fatal shooting on Nov. 25 at the Breakers club. He wouldn’t elaborate. However, another Houston rapper, Dominic Levar Brown, who was reportedly Trae’s right hand man, was shot Nov. 25 outside Breakers, a southwest Houston after hours club. The death sent shockwaves through Houston’s tight-knit hip hop community, the Chronicle reported last year. Brown was known as Money Clip D.

More than three hours after the shooting, dozens of people were still milling outside the crime scene tape as police investigated.

Tiffany, who did not want to give her last name but said she is affiliated with Trae and his philanthropic efforts, including his non-profit group Angel By Nature, said the rapper was not connected to the shooting and had not been targeted. She said he was fine, but wounded in the back. She said Trae Day, scheduled for July 22, will go on. She said Trae was very disheartened and saddened by the loss of life. “He’s completely heartbroken,” she said.

Other people who were at the concert and said they were affiliated with Trae also said the rapper was not the target of the shooting. Trae and others were filing out of the club after the concert when shots rang out, said Mike Slaughter. Slaughter had blood on his hands and clothes because he said he tried to help one of the men who was shot to death. He said he was inside the club when he heard the gunshots outside. When he ran out, he saw the three people lying on the ground. He and others worked on one of the men, trying to stop the bleeding, but the victim died.

Slaughter said he still could not understand why anyone would have been shot. He had helped organize the concert and said it had been a lighthearted gathering. The crowd at the concert had been well-behaved.

“We got this together to have a good night,” he said. “All was good.”

But then the gunfire erupted outside as people left. He said he heard what sounded like about 50 gunshots.

“It’s just senseless,” he said.

Gerald Law, 60, said his son was one of the people who died in the gunfire. He said his son’s friend notified the family. Law said he was having a difficult time coping with his loss.

“I just have to deal with it day by day,” he said.

Law’s first cousin, 57-year-old Willie Singleton, came to the parking lot to support his grieving relative.

“This is night life,” he said. “Anything can happen out here this time of morning. You’re lucky if you get out of here.”

–Erin Mulvaney contributed to this report