Grand jury declines to charge man for death of alleged robber in SW Houston taqueria shooting

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A grand jury declined to file charges against the man who fatally shot an alleged robber at a busy southwest Houston-area taqueria.

On Tuesday, almost a year after the incident, a Harris County grand jury decided not to charge the man who killed Eric Eugene Washington on Jan. 5, 2023, at the El Ranchito restaurant on S. Gessner.

It was a story that made national headlines, as the shooting was captured on security video, and activists claimed it was "overkill."

SEE ALSO: Taqueria owner still in shock after customer allegedly shoots, kills robbery suspect in SW Houston

Grand jurors reviewed the case following an HPD investigation. They also viewed the video of Washington going into the restaurant, where he was seen going table by table, trying to get whatever money he could before the shooter got up with a gun in his hand and fired at Washington.

In the days following the incident, outraged activists said what the shooter had done was "excessive." But ultimately, almost a year later, jurors agreed there wasn't enough evidence for the case to go to trial.