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A surveillance video captured the moment a thief was fatally shot by a customer at a Houston restaurant on Thursday night.
A clip obtained by KHOU 11 showed a customer at Ranchito Taqueria in southwest Houston fatally shooting a man who was robbing the restaurant on Thursday, January 5, 2023.
The surveillance video shows the thief, in a mask and a hoodie, who is yet to be identified, pointing a gun at customers seated in the restaurant as he divests them of their belongings. The customer, who has his back to the surveillance camera, slowly reaches down and pulls out a gun while the thief is preoccupied with robbing other customers at the establishment.
Shortly after, the customer waits for the thief to turn around before he shoots him in the back.
As per KHOU, the customer who shot the robber reportedly returned the stolen money to the other patrons of the restaurant before leaving the premises without waiting for the police to arrive at the scene.
Houston Police in search of the customer who shot the thief
Houston police are now searching for the customer who shot the robber, believed to be in his 20s. Officials have released surveillance photos of the customer, identified as Hispanic, who shot the thief in a mask after he came inside the restaurant, demanding money and wallets from individuals.
In a press release, the Houston police said that the customer who shot the thief is wanted for questioning, noting that no charges have been filed against him. The statement read:
“Surveillance photos of the male and his vehicle, the 1970s or ’80s model pickup truck with no bed, are attached to this news release. Investigators want to speak with the man about his role in the shooting. No charges have been filed.”
They added:
“Investigators are asking the shooter and the victims who left the scene to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 to provide statements regarding the incident.”
Houston thief carried a fake gun while robbing the customers
Authorities said that the robber did not have a real gun at the time of the incident but was instead pointing “a plastic pistol, possibly an aero soft or possibly a little BB pistol."
Officials said that no one else was injured at the scene. They added that the robber will be identified after verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.
Authorities have asked the shooter and other witnesses at the scene to contact law enforcement and provide a statement about the incident.
