BBQ Fundraiser held for hospitalized deputy who was one 3 officers shot during ambush
HOUSTON - The community where Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Deputy Darryl Garrett grew up is coming together to hold a fundraiser for the deputy who is still in the hospital after he was shot early Saturday.
The group that’s hosting the fundraiser actually grew up with Deputy Garrett’s dad in Fifth Ward and unbelievably the deputy was shot on the four-year anniversary of his father’s murder.
BACKGROUND: 3 officers shot, 1 killed during apparent ambush in north Harris Co.
When we caught up with them they were getting the patio area ready because on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the friends will fire up the grill in the parking lot at 4130 Cavalcade for the big fundraiser.
"We’re serving chicken and sausage, potato salad, beans," explains Garonzick Benson one of the fundraiser hosts who also has plenty of cooking experience as co-owner of K & B Catering.
Deputy shot in ambush speaks exclusively to FOX 26 after he and 2 other officers, were shot and 1 killed
FOX 26's Damali Keith shares the exclusive interview from one of the three deputies shot early Saturday morning in the fatal shooting that killed Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Deputy Kareem Atkins.
RELATED: Manhunt continues for gunman that shot 3 deputies, killing one of them
"We’re cooking barbecue dinners," says Tonya Ashley who owns the Puff Pass It business on Cavalcade where the fundraiser is being held. "We’re selling them for $10 and accepting any type of donation. There’s no donation too small. We just want to give back to the family."
Money raised will go to the Garrett family to help with expenses after Deputy Garrett was one of three deputies shot over the weekend. The 25-year-old already had his kidneys and gallbladder removed and is still hospitalized.
"Just praying every day, every night hoping my little cousin comes home," says Garrett’s cousin Edward Jones.
Deputy Kareem Atkins died in the shooting. Deputy Juqaim Barthen was released from the hospital Wednesday. All three were ambushed, shot by a gunman with an AR-15 rifle as the deputies worked security at a Northside nightclub.
RELATED: Visitation, funeral services scheduled for Constable Deputy Kareem Atkins
"I was shocked. I'm like again? We can’t keep going through this," says Garrett’s friend Willie Johnson. "It’s very heartbreaking."
Deputy Garrett’s dad Darryl Garrett Sr. was actually killed on the same day, four years earlier after someone opened fire at a child’s birthday party.
"We just want to bring the community together and stop crime and stop hurting one another. We all went to Kashmere, Kashmere Rams and this is just tragic," Ashley explains.
"We all grew up together, all of us and it’s just been real, real hard," adds Benson. The reward for information leading to the gunman is more than $75,000.
If you'd like to help the officers and their families, there are GoFundMe pages for all three.