Homeless man armed with machete injured while trying to stop Channelview robbery, deputies say
Two of the three men allegedly involved in the holdup and stabbing are in custody, while a third person is on the run.
CHANNELVIEW, Texas (KTRK) -- Three men have been charged with aggravated assault and aggravated robbery counts after deputies say the trio stabbed a good Samaritan trying to stop them during an armed robbery in the Channelview area.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted Tuesday that 24-year-old Ivan Suarez, 33-year-old Nathan Rhodes and 24-year-old Mario Segura were charged for their alleged involvement in the robbery of a gas station customer and stabbing of a homeless man who tried to intervene.
Also on Tuesday, Eyewitness News obtained surveillance video footage showing the incident that led to the stabbing. You can view the scene in the video player above.
The incident took place Monday evening outside of a gas station at 15799 East Freeway near Sheldon Road.
According to the sheriff's office, three men in a red SUV were out of gas and targeted another man who was fueling up. The confrontation escalated and the suspects pulled out their knives, deputies said. The good Samaritan grabbed a machete and tried to intervene.
"He was across the street. He came and tried to help the guy getting robbed and that's when the other guys got him, three against one," described Roberto Diaz, who witnessed some of the incident from the taco truck in the parking lot where he works. "I saw a machete and a couple of knives and pretty sure he got stabbed really bad."
The good Samaritan, in his early 40s, was stabbed multiple times and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, according to deputies. Two people - Rhodes and Suarez - are in custody.
A search for Segura is underway. The sheriff's office described him as 5 feet 5 inches and 145 pounds, who is also believed to be homeless.
Lt. Paul Bruce of HCSO said the victim's only mistake was that he wanted to help.
"We don't recommend that people take action upon themselves. We're trained and of course, he may lose his life for coming to the aid of someone else."
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