The Houston Police Department (HPD) has identified and questioned the man who shot a robber inside Ranchito Taqueria on Thursday night.
Detectives questioned the unnamed 46-year-old shooter late Monday after security footage caught him fatally shooting a robber in the restaurant. The incident occurred after the robber pulled out his firearm and demanded that the customers hand him their wallets.
“The shooter, 46, was questioned by homicide detectives today,” police wrote. “After consultation w/@HarrisCountyDAO. the incident will be referred to a grand jury. Since the male is not arrested or charged, his name is not being released at this time.”
UPDATE: The shooter, 46, was questioned by homicide detectives today.
After consultation w/ @HarrisCountyDAO, the incident will be referred to a grand jury. Since the male is not arrested or charged, his name is not being released at this time.
More at https://t.co/tFlO4tJDT1 https://t.co/duWb7ZFkUY
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) January 9, 2023
Surveillance video showed the robber, later identified as 30-year-old Eric Eugene Washington, approaching customers with a handgun and taking customers’ money just before 11:30 p.m. As the robber attempted to exit the building, one of the customers got up from the table and fired several shots at the robber, causing him to fall to the ground near the restaurant entrance.
The customer then approaches the motionless robber and appears to pick up the man’s gun before shooting him once more at close range. (RELATED: Police Looking For Man Caught On Camera Shooting Armed Robber, Returning Stolen Money)
The armed customer returned the stolen money to the customers, footage showed. The shooter and witnesses then left the scene before police arrived, KENS 5 reported. Police later determined that the robber was not carrying a real firearm.
“The robbery suspect … came into the store and was wearing masks and gloves,” HPD Lt. R. Wilkens said, according to the outlet. “He had a plastic pistol, possibly an aero soft [sic] or possibly a little BB pistol.”
Police said the case will be brought before a grand jury to determine whether charges should be brought forth against the man.
Washington had previously been charged with capital murder after a man was killed in an armed robbery he was involved with in 2013, the outlet reported. Authorities later changed the charge to aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, of which Washington was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
He was later arrested on Dec. 16, 2022, after he allegedly pushed his girlfriend and scratched her, the outlet reported. He faced charges of misdemeanor family violence and was released on bail.
Analysts and experts told the outlet that the incident appears to be justified since Washington posed a threat to the customers inside the restaurant.