'He had a plastic pistol': Houston activists want 'vigilante killer' who shot a robber to be charged
HOUSTON TEXAS: At the southwest Houston taqueria where a robber 30-year-old Eric Eugene Washington was shot and killed earlier this month, numerous community activists gathered on Sunday. The group referred to the shooting as 'beyond self-defense' and called it 'a cold-blooded execution'.
This group wants the shooter to be charged with a crime despite some people calling him a hero. "We must not allow citizens to become judge, jury, and executor," the group said as per a report by Wfaa. The report further mentioned that Washington was not carrying a real gun.
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The group which consisted of Dr Candice Matthews (Texas Coalition of Black Democrats/Rainbow/PUSH Coalition/New Black Panther Nation), Quanell X (New Black Panther Nation), family members of the deceased, and other civil rights organizations, a family statement said.
Police reported that an armed man wearing a mask entered the restaurant and demanded cash and wallets from the patrons. Washington was later identified by the authorities. One of the patrons pulled out a gun as Washington was leaving and shot him multiple times.
Though the group is not condoning the actions of late Washington, they however said about the vigilante that "he went too far," Quanell X said. "That's overkill. That's no longer self-defense." "That man went from being a law-abiding citizen to now committing criminal acts and criminal crimes. We believe ... I believe that he should be charged with something because we cannot have a society where our citizens are judge, jury, and executioner," Quanell X said.
The group said that the vigilante, who has asked to remain anonymous, shot Washington multiple times when he was not even a threat. They, though believe initial shots were not a problem. "He stood over the young man and shot him multiple times over and over again when he was no longer a threat," Quanell X said. "I know for a fact that this was not just a simple act of a good citizen defending himself. There was no justification to walk up on him and put multiple shots, then leave with the weapon and come back and shoot him in the head again. That's too much."
What exactly happened?
Police said that an armed man in a mask, later identified by authorities as Washington, entered the restaurant and demanded money and wallets from the customers. As he was leaving, one of the customers pulled out a gun and shot Washington several times.
After the shooting, that same customer collected the stolen money from the robber and returned it to the other patrons, police said. According to authorities, the rest of the people in the restaurant left the scene before the police arrived.
Police later said that "the robbery suspect ... came into the store and was wearing masks and gloves,” HPD Lt. Wilkens said. “He had a plastic pistol, possibly an aero soft or possibly a little BB pistol.” No one else in the restaurant was injured.
The shooter has also released a statement through his attorney stating, "This event has been very traumatic, taking a human life is something he does not take lightly and will burden him for the rest of his life," said Juan L. Guerra Jr, in a statement.