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Eric Washington was fatally shot by a diner on Thursday, January 5, 2023, while he was robbing a restaurant in Houston. Authorities said the customer responsible for the killing will now face a grand jury that will determine if the shooting was justified.
The incident took place at Ranchito Taqueria in southwest Houston on Thursday. Eric Washington, 30, was shot by a customer as he was fleeing the restaurant after robbing patrons at gunpoint in the establishment.
Washington, wounded by the first shot fired by the customer, was then shot again at point-blank range while lying on the ground. The customer then returned the stolen money to the other diners who were robbed by Washington and left the premises before police arrived at the scene. Authorities later revealed that Washington was pointing a plastic gun while he robbed the restaurant's customers.
The customer later surrendered to the police after law enforcement issued a plea stating that the person responsible for the shooting should come forward to be questioned about the incident. A Texas grand jury will decide whether or not to criminally charge the Houston Taqueria customer who fatally shot Washington.
Diner who shot Eric Washington voluntarily surrenders to the police
Days after Eric Washington was killed by a customer, the Houston Police Department announced that the person responsible had voluntarily turned himself in and was cooperating with the investigation. Officials have not released the identity of the customer as he is yet to be arrested or charged with the crime.
Officials said that the Texas grand jury will decide whether or not to charge the customer after exploring the circumstances that led to the shooting. Houston Police released a statement saying:
“Today (Jan. 9), the male, 46, was questioned by Houston police homicide detectives in the presence of his attorney. After consulting with members of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, it was determined the shooting will be referred to a grand jury. Since the male is not arrested or charged, his identity is not being released at this time.”
On Thursday, January 5, a restaurant surveillance video showed Eric Washington pointing a gun at customers seated in the Ranchito Taqueria restaurant as he divested them of their belongings. The customer, who would eventually shoot the thief, then slowly reached down and pulled out a gun and shot the perpetrator twice before leaving the scene.
Eric Washington's criminal history explored
Eric Washington reportedly had an extensive criminal history and was out on bond at the time of the incident. In 2015, Washington was convicted of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in the fatal shooting of 62-year-old Hamid Waraich. Washington, sentenced to 15 years in prison, was released on parole in 2021, shortly after which he was arrested again for a domestic violence incident.
Subsequently, Washington was charged with a misdemeanor of family violence and was released on bond.
