The woman shot her daughters on Friday in the Westheimer Lakes-North neighborhood near the Houston suburbs of Fulshear and Katy, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said.
After someone called 911, a Fulshear police officer shot the mother when she refused to put down her weapon, the sheriff's office said.
The daughters were found on the street with gunshot wounds.
The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office identified the mother as Christy Sheats and her daughters as 22-year-old Taylor Sheats and 17-year-old Madison Sheats.
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An eyewitness saw Taylor, Madison and Jason running out of their home.
According to the eyewitness, the young women were already wounded. The neighbour said Taylor collapsed on the street and he saw Christy come outside with a gun and then go back inside to reload. When she emerged again, she shot Madison in the back, according to the eyewitness.
Sheriff Troy Nehls said deputies had gone to the family's home in the past, but he declined to provide additional details.
"It would be too premature to give you a motive as to why something like this took place," Nehls said.