The human rights activist believes that the patron who shot the suspect in the taco store robbery should be charged.

HOUSTON – Community activists and civil rights organizations are speaking out after a customer shot and killed a suspect in a taco store last week.

“When he shot him the first time, he was within the law. But when he turned again and straight [and] shot him again, now you’ve made yourself out to be the real culprit, said Dr. Candice Matthews.

The shooting was caught on camera and made national headlines.

The client’s lawyer says he feared for his life and acted in self-defense, but community leaders say he used excessive lethal force.

Activist Quanell X and Matthews of the Rainbow Push Coalition say they don’t condone the actions and behavior of the suspect who robbed the restaurant with diners inside, but say the patron who shot the man went from being legal to breaking the law. law.

Surveillance video from Ranchito Taqueria #4 on South Gessner Road shows the suspect, 30-year-old Eric Eugene Washington, running into the restaurant, pointing a fake gun and demanding money from customers.

As Washington exits the store, the customer shoots him several times. He continues to shoot and even throws a drink at Washington before leaving the scene.

Quanell X says that once this man fired at Washington for the first time, he was no longer a threat and his actions had gone too far.

“He has the right to defend himself. He had the right to defend himself. He had the right to use deadly force, but he went further, stood over this young man and put bullet after bullet into him. This is overkill. It’s not self-defense anymore,” Quanell said. “So, I think the Harris County District Attorneys need to make sure that the grand jury reaches an indictment.”

In 2015, Washington was found guilty of aggravated robbery and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He received parole in 2021 and was charged last month with aggravated assault on a family member.

Records show he was on bail at the time of the Tuqueria robbery, and that’s all the information the grand jury will consider. Quanell X says the defense lawyer will have to prove he was a constant threat.

“You didn’t know his criminal past before you shot him. You didn’t know his name before you shot him. You didn’t know who he was before you killed him, and you didn’t know his past before you killed him. You didn’t have a chance to look at his criminal record and decide to use lethal force, so that won’t work,” he said.

Quanell X says the Washington family is struggling. They resent the level of force that was used.

It is unclear how soon a grand jury will be able to hear the case.

SEE ALSO: Taco shop buyer who shot possible armed robber agreed to meet with HPD investigators, officials say

A grand jury will hear the case of a shopper who shot and killed a burglar at a taco store in southwest Houston, police say.

A taco store is robbed 5 days after another suspect was shot dead by a customer, police say.