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A Texas grand jury will decide whether to bring criminal charges against a customer who shot and killed a robber in a Houston taco shop last week.
Eric Eugene Washington, 30, died after being shot nine times, including a bullet that struck him in the head execution-style, by a vigilante patron who was said to be “protecting everyone” at the Texas restaurant.
It can now be revealed that Washington had a lengthy rap sheet, most recently including domestic violence and aggravated assault. He was also on probation for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The Ranchito 4 Taqueria customer has been hailed a hero after pointing his gun at a would-be robber, who entered the local restaurant, pointed a fake gun at customers and demanded they return cash.
The 46-year-old client, who is believed to be Hispanic and left the scene in a dusty pickup truck, has not yet been identified because he is not under arrest. Authorities say he is cooperating with detectives and will now decide if he will face charges.
Eric Eugene Washington, 30, died after being shot multiple times by an armed diner at a local taco shop he was trying to rob. Washington had a lengthy rap sheet that included jail time for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.
The client, seen sitting with his gun raised, shot the man at least nine times after his robbery.
The records illustrate Washington’s extensive criminal history that includes a recent misdemeanor charge of domestic battery against his girlfriend, which occurred in December 2022.
Court documents also confirmed that Washington was paroled in 2021 on a conviction for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, for which he had been sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
Washington had been convicted in 2015 in connection with the murder of Hamid Waraich, 52, the owner of a Boost Mobile cell phone store, who was fatally shot in the back during a robbery. He was paroled in 2021 after serving six years.
At the time of his death, Waraich had a fiancée and children. One of the victim’s sons, Sean Waraich, called the deceased thief “an evil criminal who enjoyed harassing and robbing innocent families.”
The diner watchman has not been identified by police because he has not been charged with any crime. Law enforcement say he is cooperating
The customer shot the robber, seen in the red ring, after he entered Ranchito #4 Taqueria and demanded people’s money and cell phones at gunpoint. Police believe the masked robber was actually using a fake gun
Pedro López, owner of the taqueria, said he and his employees are still in shock, but he is glad his staff and customers were unharmed in the shooting.
He called the vigilante taco shop a “true hero,” saying he “did the right thing to stop the thief and protect the community from a dangerous perpetrator.”
Aman Waraich, another of Hamid’s sons, said: “If the guy who arrested Eric had been around about 10 years ago, maybe he would still have my dad.”
A lawyer for the vigilante made the following statement: ‘My client, who wishes to remain anonymous, was having dinner with a friend at El Ranchito Taqueria and, as seen on the video, a robbery suspect entered the restaurant and pointed a weapon. my client and the other clients demanding money.
“Fearing for his life and that of his friend, my client acted to protect everyone in the restaurant.
‘In Texas, a shooting is justified in self-defense, defense of others, and defense of property. Client has met with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and HPD Homicide Investigators. He fully intends to continue to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
‘When the investigation is complete, this case will be presented to a Grand Jury. We are confident that a Grand Jury will find that the shooting was justified under Texas Law.
“This event has been very traumatic, taking a human life is something you do not take lightly and it will weigh you down for the rest of your life. For that reason, he wishes to remain anonymous. Due to the overwhelming coverage, we ask the media and the public to respect their privacy.”
The would-be thief can be seen on surveillance video taking control of the taqueria and pointing what looks like a gun at customers as they take money from their wallets and place it on the tables and floor.
Suddenly, the vigilante client began shooting, even approaching the robbery suspect while continuing to fire at point blank range.
He appears to put the customers’ money back on the table, then appears to realize that the fatally wounded robber’s gun was not real, and proceeds to leave the store along with the other customers.
University of Houston Law Center professor Sandra Guerra Thompson spoke with Eyewitness News about the incident, and in particular, the fake weapon that the offender had in his possession.
“I know there are a lot of questions about the use of a gun because it wasn’t an actual firearm, but that doesn’t really make a difference because it was used as a firearm and a person would reasonably believe it was.” against an immediate threat of deadly force,’ he said.