HOUSTON, Texas – The attorney for the man involved in the shooting at a southwest Houston taqueria, which resulted in the death of an armed robber, expressed satisfaction with the decision made by a Harris County grand jury. Juan L. Guerra, Jr., the shooter’s attorney, stated that the conclusion of the grand jury, in determining the shooting to be justifiable homicide, aligns with the beliefs of both himself and his client.
Guerra, in an interview with ABC13, revealed that his client, who remains unnamed and has been described as “extremely relieved,” still lives in fear of potential retaliation following the shooting incident, which occurred in January 2023. Community activists, after viewing the surveillance footage of the shooting, denounced the shooter as a vigilante and demanded a murder charge be brought against him. However, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office announced the grand jury’s decision not to charge the 46-year-old man.
The attorney emphasized that there were important aspects of the story beyond what was captured on video. By disclosing that the armed suspect was the son of his client’s best friend, Guerra shed light on the shooter’s strong motivation to act to prevent a tragic outcome.
The video evidence of the incident depicted the armed suspect, Eric Eugene Washington, robbing the customers before the shooter took action, firing multiple shots once the suspect’s back was turned. According to Guerra, after realizing that Washington’s gun was fake, the shooter returned what was stolen to the customers, expressing visible distress at the loss of life over what turned out to be a fake gun.
Despite the trauma experienced by Guerra’s client, the attorney expressed gratitude for the presence of the surveillance footage, which he believes played a crucial role in the grand jury’s decision. He also stressed the significance of video evidence in such cases, considering it to be the most important piece of evidence.