ICYMI – Thanks to a vigilant citizen, the masked robber of a taqueria in Houston, Texas, was left dead on the floor. After subduing the would be criminal, the armed customer “returned the stolen money to terrified diners” and split. His identity, ABC reports, “remained a mystery Sunday as police released a surveillance image of him and requested he come forward for questioning.”
Citizen wanted for questioning
Security video from The Ranchito #4, a local border food favorite in southwest Houston, graphically shows the wanted citizen “pulling a pistol and turning the tables on the bandit as he circled the restaurant demanding customers to fork over their wallets.”
The bandito had a fake pistol but it looked real enough to the ones he was pointing it at.
Footage shows the vigilant citizen “pulling his weapon and firing from his seat at a booth, where he was dining with a man.” It may not have been particularly sporting, butit was highly effective.
HOUSTON, TEXAS / Asalto a mano armada en la taquería El Ranchito #4 terminó en el agresor asesinado por uno de los comensales, luego este se va del lugar, no sin antes devolver lo atracado. El agresor de unos 20 años de edad y la pistola que empuñaba era de plástico, no era real. pic.twitter.com/Cq2e6UemXs
— Jonathan Tapia (@JonTapiaSS) January 8, 2023
He hit “the robber multiple times in the back as some of the patrons dove under tables.” He apparently practiced good gun control by hitting his target and only his target.
The assailant didn’t make it far, collapsing “near the front of the restaurant before the patron who shot him got up, stood over him and fired one more time point blank.” That’s one robber who won’t be a repeat offender. The taxpayers were saved the expense of one trial but will soon have to pay for another.
The vigilant citizen will probably be charged with murder. It will be interesting to see if a jury convicts, if it makes it that far.
Police report released
According to the incident report put out by Houston PD, “the shooting unfolded around 11:30 p.m. Thursday as 10 customers were dining inside the taqueria.” Nobody admits knowing who their citizen avenger was but “witnesses told officers the suspect entered the restaurant and pointed a pistol at patrons as he demanded their money.”
“As the suspect collected money from patrons, one of the patrons, described as a white or Hispanic male, produced a gun of his own and shot the suspect multiple times.” Game over. The vigilante made sure to pass everyone’s wallet back before he left.
“The shooter collected the stolen money from the suspect and returned the money to other patrons. He and other patrons (victims) then fled the scene.” Thanks to their citizen savior, the victims didn’t want their wallets impounded by police as evidence so they left, too.
AH CABRÓN! Está bueno el menú de la Taquería Em Ranchito #4. 😨😱 pic.twitter.com/o6LGwbvH6U
— Jonathan Tapia (@JonTapiaSS) January 8, 2023
After the cordite smoke cleared, “the gun the robber used to menace diners turned out to be a toy gun.”
After the shooting the vigilant citizen appears to leave the robbers gun on his table. Police are circulating a “surveillance image of the customer and his vehicle, a battered 1970s or 1980s pickup truck.” They really want “to question him and other patrons who left the scene without providing officers a statement.” What sort of statement do they need, once they see the video?
“Investigators want to speak with the man for his role in the shooting.” They also note that no charges have been filed. That doesn’t mean there won’t be after he makes his statement. The “dead suspect, who is believed to be in his 20s, is pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.“
