Some upset that restaurant patron shot armed robber in the back; Updated

[Dashinka 24,019]

Plain and simple, a good guy with a gun took down a bad guy with a gun.  Personally I am not questioning any of it as someone that has been in adrenaline filled situations.

[Boiler 44,700]

On Monday, the medical examiner identified 30-year-old Eric Eugene Washington as the robbery suspect who was killed.

Records show Washington had an extensive criminal history and was out on bond during the would-be robbery.

Records show that in 2015, Washington was convicted on a lesser charge of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection to the shooting death of 62-year-old Hamid Waraich, a cell phone store owner. Houston police also charged two other men.

According to records, Washington was released on parole in 2021 and charged with assaulting his girlfriend in December 2022.

Waraich had a fiancée and three sons who reacted strongly when contacted by ABC13.

"If the guy who stopped Eric was around 10 years ago, maybe I'd still have my dad," Aman Waraich, the son of the store clerk that was killed, said.

"Eric was an evil criminal that took joy in harassing and robbing innocent families. The individual at the taqueria is a true hero!" Sean Waraich, the victim's other son, added. "He did the right thing in stopping the robber and in protecting the community from a dangerous perpetrator."

 

https://abc13.com/amp/houston-taqueria-shooting-customer-shoots-robber-eric-eugene-washington-killed-suspect-death/12681554/

[TBoneTX 44,439]

Radio commentary today included the reality that the prosecutors will almost certainly present the guy's case to a grand jury, but that no grand jury in Texas would sustain charges.  In Texas, even someone with a fake gun is presumed to have a real gun, and self-defense is completely justified.

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,361]

On 1/9/2023 at 11:46 AM, yuna628 said:

My opinion will likely not be accepted or popular. I simply would like to know why there was a reason to shoot this individual that many times? I would also like to know why the person then left the scene of the crime?

I guess he stopped shooting him Because he ran out of bullets.  Just a guess. Maybe he left to go reload 

[Nature Boy 2.0 8,361]

Maybe he remembered Bernhard Goetz and didn't want him to live to sue him

[TBoneTX 44,439]

He could've kept filling him with lead and then sold his entire body to a scrap-metal recycler.

[B_J 2,752]

17 hours ago, Boiler said:

.

"If the guy who stopped Eric was around 10 years ago, maybe I'd still have my dad," Aman Waraich, the son of the store clerk that was killed, said.

 

https://abc13.com/amp/houston-taqueria-shooting-customer-shoots-robber-eric-eugene-washington-killed-suspect-death/12681554/

 

Usually the media talks to the criminal's family, so we can hear what a great guy they were.  It's nice that the Houston media went to the effort to find the other victim's family and get their response.

[TBoneTX 44,439]

Not that much new here, but a good summary so far:

https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2023/01/12/what-next-for-the-good-guy-with-a-gun-who-killed-the-robber-at-a-houston-taqueria-n523237

[LIBrty4all 3,749]

On 1/9/2023 at 3:17 PM, B_J said:

I think that last shot could really get him in trouble.  Once he had possession of the other guy's gun, it is pretty hard to justify shooting him again.  There is no real way to argue that he felt threatened at that point. 

Not at all.  He's going to be just fine.

[LIBrty4all 3,749]

On 1/9/2023 at 1:08 PM, Ban Hammer said:

my thoughts, as a conceal carry holder.

- whether the guy was shot in the back or not does not matter, he was in the middle of armed robbery.  nothing says the conceal carry holder has to shoot the perpetrator in the front

or give the perpetrator fair warning so he turns around.  "fair fight" does not play into this one bit.

- the shots fired after the threat was down and neutralized could well lead to charges.  the general rule of thumb is to shoot until the thread is neutralized and then cease fire.  rapid fire
is not an issue here - neutralizing the threat is, and plenty of hot lead to the torso tends to make that happen.  if the perpetrator is reaching for the firearm after he (or she) is horizontal

on the floor after being hit by "freedom seeds", then further appropriate action should be taken to neutralize that threat - by grabbing his firearm if safely able to, or by more shots. 
-  in summary, actions taken by the conceal carry holder should always be taken with with the mind that they may need to be defended in court.  i'm not seeing the shots after the
perpetrator was neutralized as being needed.

note - a head shot means no reloading

I was going to respond to @yuna628 when I saw your reply.  Couldn't have said it better.

I agree with others that the last shot was unnecessary, but... what if it had NOT been?  I have watched videos where a perp who was downed by gunfire got back up and fought again.  

 

ETA: Dead criminals don't commit future crimes,  nor do they sue those who killed them d.e.d.

Edited January 12, 2023 by LIBrty4all

[Ban Hammer 13,083]

i'm still shaking my head about the robber using a fake gun.  so far, this is the best case of "____ around, find out" this year.