Houston activists call for Taqueria customer who shot robber to be charged

Community activists call for arrest of taqueria customer

Community activists Quanell X and Dr. Candice Matthews call for the arrest of the man who shot a Houston taqueria robber 9 times. They believed the shooting to be excessive. FOX 26's Gabby Hart reports more on what Quanell X has to say.

HOUSTON - While many people have been calling the man who gunned down a robber side of a Houston taqueria a hero, local community activists are calling for his arrest.

"I'm hoping the grand jury does something because if they don't, the message that will be sent will be the wild wild west," said activist Quanell X.

Last Thursday a customer inside a Houston taqueria shot and killed 30-year-old Eric Eugene who was robbing customers at gunpoint.

The gun he used was fake, but experts say there's no way customers could've known. The shooter fired nine shots at Eugene as he was leaving the restaurant.

He continued to fire as he lay on the ground and he fired one final shot into Eugene's head after he had been disarmed.

Quanell X says what the shooter did was excessive and he should be charged.

Houston Taqueria Shooting: Mother of robber shot, killed by patron speaks out

In an ominous phone call Thursday morning hours before the robbery at El Ranchito that would end his life, 30-year-old Eric Eugene Washington promised his mother, Corine Goodman, he would do better.

"We cannot have a society where our citizens are judge, jury, and executioner," He said.

Everyone except for those working in the restaurant collected their money and left the scene. Police later called on the shooter to come forward for questioning.

His attorney released a statement saying his client wishes to remain anonymous and added, "In Texas, a shooting is justified in self-defense, defense of others, and defense of property."

"This is a civilized society, we're killing like that? We're not knocking the man for defending himself, but we're knocking him for what he did extra beyond that," said Quanell X.

He also pointed out this moment in the video when the shooter is leaving the restaurant he dumps his drink on Eugene's body and throws the cup at him.

"At the least, it's called abuse of a corpse, that's a misdemeanor crime in Harris County," he said.

So far that shooter has not been arrested or charged with any crime. The case has been sent to a grand jury, and they'll decide whether he should face charges.

Crime and Public Safety Houston Harris County