Family of man killed during New Year's Day restaurant robbery speaks out

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Ray Browning and his son, Andrew, were best buds.

"If you saw Ray, you saw his son. They were two peas-in-a-pod," said Ray Browning's sister, Geneva Browning.

From dinner dates to vacations Ray's sister says he spent lot of time with his wife and son.

On New Year's Day night the three of them went to dinner at Huong Giang Hue on Bellaire near Dairy Ashford. Police said that night, just before 9 pm, two masked men walked in to the packed restaurant with guns. Investigators said the men robbed the register and customers. Officers say Ray tried to fight back and he was shot and killed right in front of his wife and son.

"He would have never put his life in danger if he knew it would take him away from his wife and son," said Geneva.

Police say there were at least 30 people inside the restaurant at the time. Officers said after the shooting the suspects took off and are still on the loose.

"It was senseless. They didn't have to shoot him," said Geneva.

Now Ray's family is trying to make the senseless, make sense to a little boy.

"How do you explain to an eight-year -old? How do you? I just don't even know," said Geneva.

What she does know is that Ray is looking down, still watching over his family and his best bud.

"You could not have met a better man in this world than my brother. The world is really missing out on someone now. I know we are," said Geneva.

Huong Giang Hue is in a shopping center near Bellaire and Dairy Ashford.

Employees with the group that manage the property said the surveillance video shows the suspect leaving in a white or silver Chevy Malibu. They say a woman was driving the getaway car.