Shooter in custody after tattoo shop murder in west Houston, police say
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Abdul-Rahman Khan, 21, is charged with murder and due in court this morning.
Khan is accused of shooting to death Peter Pina, 33, a body piercing technician, who was a father of three boys who often worked as many as three jobs to support them.
The shooting happened late Tuesday night, inside the Electric Chair Tattoo and Body Piercing business on Richmond Avenue near Fondren.
"I hope he stays in jail, in prison and is convicted because he took a father away from three boys," said Andrea Rocha, Pina's younger sister.
Pina was raising his sons -- ages 13, 12 and 10 -- by himself. He worked two to three jobs to support them.
"They were everything to him. I'm pretty sure his last thoughts when he was shot were his boys," said Aurora Martinez, Pina's older sister.
Police say Kahn was at the tattoo shop when he entered a restricted area and was told to leave. Charles Ramirez, a tattoo artist also working Tuesday night, says Kahn was shirtless and intoxicated and shot Pina at close range.
"I literally looked at Peter and did not see him breathing and this was all within seconds," said Ramirez.
Ramirez and another man tackled Kahn, grabbing his long hair, and held him until police arrived.
"My intention was that no one else got hurt," added Ramirez.
"My son was a hardworking man," said Pina's mother, Sylvia Rocha outside the tattoo shop. "He had three jobs at one point to support this three boys. He would help anybody. It didn't matter if he knew you or not. He would help. Whatever he could do, he would do it for you. And he never let anybody down."
Eyewitness News also spoke to Pina's sisters Wednesday afternoon at his gutted home in Rosenberg. He and his boys lost everything in the recent floods. He planned to renovate. In just a few short weeks, their family's situation went from bad to much worse.
"It's still unbelievable," Rocha said.
Khan, 21, is charged with murder. Bail was set at $50,000.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help cover Pina's funeral expenses, and a fundraiser is scheduled at Diablo Loco, 6025 Richmond Ave, on Saturday, June 18 from 10am-3pm.
