HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, has decided not to press charges against a man who shot and killed a robber at a taqueria in southwest Houston last year. The shooting took place on Jan. 5, 2023, at the El Ranchito taqueria on South Gessner Road. Eric Eugene Washington, 30, was killed during the robbery, which occurred just before 11:30 p.m.
The armed, masked robber entered the restaurant, demanding money and wallets from customers, but as he was leaving, a customer shot and killed him. The entire incident was caught on surveillance video, and police stated that the man who shot and killed the robber collected the stolen money and returned it to the other patrons. No one else in the restaurant was injured, and investigators later discovered that the robber did not have a real gun.
In the aftermath of the shooting, there were divisive opinions regarding the shooter’s actions, with some labeling him as a “vigilante” and others praising him as a hero. Some activists called for the shooter to be charged, leading to a grand jury investigation into the incident.
According to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, grand juries are composed of 12 randomly selected residents who review criminal charges to decide whether there is enough evidence for a case to proceed. If nine or more grand jurors agree that probable cause exists, they issue an indictment, and the case proceeds through the criminal justice system. If nine or more grand jurors determine that probable cause does not exist, they may issue a “no bill,” effectively clearing the individual of criminal wrongdoing.
The grand jury’s decision not to press charges against the man who shot and killed the robber at the taqueria shows the complexity and divisions arising from self-defense cases. The decision emphasizes the involvement of community members in determining the outcomes of homicide cases, leading to a careful and thorough review of evidence before pressing charges.