The Houston police department wants to speak to the customer who shot the armed robber and also to other witnesses present inside the restaurant
Acustomer at a Mexican restaurant in Texas’ southwest Houston shot and killed a man who robbed customers dining inside the restaurant last week. The Houston Police Department and local media outlets said the incident occurred late Thursday night.
🚨#WATCH: Self-defense shooting of armed robber at a restaurant
Watch as a brave customer at a taqueria shot restaurant shot and killed an armed criminal who was robbing from other customers. Houston police are now looking for that person for questioning pic.twitter.com/g7EYjms5PZ
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 7, 2023
The incident at Ranchito Taqueria happened just before 11:30 pm. The restaurant is located on S. Gessner near Bellaire Boulevard.
The armed robber came inside the restaurant wearing a ski mask and demanded money and wallets from the customers. As he turned around to leave, one of the customers shot the suspect.
The video of the incident has gone viral on social media amassing millions of views.
Houston Police Department has not charged the customer and is yet to identify him but released surveillance photos of him. Police officials said that they want to question him regarding his role in the shooting. The customer’s vehicle – a 1970s or 80s model pickup truck with no bed was also released.
The customer who shot the robber after shooting the robber – several times and once in the latter’s head – collected the stolen money and returned it to the patrons and left the scene before the police arrived.
No other customers or restaurant staff were injured. It was also revealed that the armed robber did not have a real gun.
Houston Police Department official Wilkens told the local news outlet KHOU-11 that the robber had a plastic pistol which could be an aero soft or a small BB pistol.
In the surveillance video, the customers, the armed customer who shoots the robber, the witnesses and others could be seen leaving the scene right after the shooting.
A legal expert told KHOU-11 that Texas’ legal system justifies use of deadly force in specific instances pertaining to robbery by threat, or aggravated robbery. The expert said rules 9.31 and 9.32 of the penal code and said it allows for the use of deadly force under these kinds of situations.
Another legal expert told KHOU-11 that the Houston police are looking for the individual because they need to ask him if he was in fear of life because it is essential to ascertain for a self-defence claim under the law. The expert also said that it does not matter if the suspect had a plastic gun, what matters is the threat.
