No Charges For Man Who Shot Houston Taqueria Robber
On Wednesday, a Texas grand jury declined to indict a man who fatally shot a robber at a Houston taqueria last year. The decision comes after a thorough review by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg’s office and the Houston Police Department. The return of a “no bill” by the grand jury reflects a critical aspect of Texas law regarding self-defense and property protection.
According to witness accounts and surveillance footage, Eric Eugene Washington, 30, entered the restaurant one year ago masked and armed with what appeared to be a firearm. He immediately began threatening customers and robbing them one by one. The 46-year-old customer who was the subject of the grand jury’s review drew his weapon and shot Washington. When officers arrived on the scene, it was determined that the decedent was using a fake gun to hold up the customers.
This case was covered extensively by local media over the last year and stirred a wide range of public reactions. While the owner of the restaurant, Pedro Lopez, and many others hailed the armed patron as a “hero,” some expressed concerns over details such as the number of shots fired to end the threat to human life.
As explained in a press release from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, the grand jury’s decision came after evaluating the evidence and the law. In Texas, the law permits the use of force in self-defense, defense of others and in defense of property.
Houston criminal defense attorney Sean Buckley explained to reporters covering the case that the reasonableness of the perception of actual imminent threat plays a crucial role in justifying the use of force. The fact that Washington’s weapon was later revealed to be a fake does not diminish the perceived threat faced by the armed patron in the exigent circumstances that existed at the moment of the attack.
The armed patron’s attorney, in a statement to ABC 13 Eyewitness News, expressed confidence in the justness of his client’s actions, emphasizing the reasonable fear of imminent grave violence and his instinctive response to protect the lives of others.
