HOUSTON, Texas — A Harris County grand jury declined to file charges against a man who shot and killed a would-be robber in a Houston taqueria nearly one year ago. The man got the drop on the robber after throwing money on the ground as a distraction and then fired multiple shots leaving the robber dead.
“Grand jurors ‘no-billed’ the shooter, who was a customer at the El Ranchito restaurant on South Gessner on Jan. 5, 2023, when 30-year-old Eric Eugene Washington entered the restaurant and robbed several customers,” according to a statement released by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg’s office. “The shooting was captured on security video.”
The grand jury issued the no-bill, effectively clearing the man of charges in connection to the shooting of the robber, after reviewing an investigation by the Houston Police Department, officials stated.
A video from inside the taqueria showed the robbery suspect entering the restaurant and walking around waving a gun while demanding money from the customers. He is seen pointing what appears to be a pistol at customers while demanding cash, Breitbart Texas reported in January 2023.
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As he approaches one of the customers, the man throws his money on the floor.
The suspect picks up the money and walks toward the rear of the store, approaching other customers. While the robber is distracted, the man who threw his money on the floor appears to remove a concealed handgun from his waist.
As the suspected robber walks past the man, the man brings his handgun up and is seen firing multiple shots. The robbery suspect’s gun is in his left hand at the time of the shooting.
The suspect falls to the floor and appears motionless in the rest of the video.
The customer then gathers up the stolen money and gives it back to the robbery victims, police say. The robbery victim becomes angered when he appears to discover the suspect’s handgun to be fake.
Another video posted elsewhere showed the man firing a final headshot into the robber lying on the ground. This was after he had picked up the cash and the fake gun.
The customer walked out of the restaurant after returning the money to the robbery victims. He later turned himself over to police investigators.
Texas law allows for the use of deadly force to protect yourself or others from a threat of death or serious bodily harm.
The grand jury’s no-bill effectively clears the customer of any criminal wrongdoing in the self-defense shooting of the would-be robber.
According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office:
Harris County grand juries are composed of 12 randomly selected residents who meet regularly for a period of three months to review all criminal charges to decide whether there is enough evidence for a case to proceed. If nine or more grand jurors agree that probable cause exists, they issue a “true bill,” or indictment, and the case continues on through the criminal justice system. If nine or more grand jurors determine probable cause does not exist, they may issue a “no bill,” effectively clearing the individual of criminal wrongdoing. The final decision as to whether to indict rests with grand jurors, not with prosecutors.
This process ensures that members of the community, rather than the District Attorney’s Office, determine the appropriate outcome in all homicides in Harris County.
“The Harris County grand jury sent a clear message affirming a Texan’s right to self-defense when threatened with deadly force or serious bodily injury,” said criminal defense lawyer and Breitbart Texas legal analyst Lana Shadwick. “The customers believed they were in danger, and the grand jury apparently determined the man acted reasonably under the circumstance.”
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
