An armed robber suspect was shot dead and killed at a Texas Donut Shop on Thursday.
The attempted robbery took place at Snowflake Donuts in the Houston area. The armed man suspected of trying to steal the store was unaware that the store owner was also armed, police said.
The Houston Police Department said the man was between 20 and 30 years old. The gunman was already dead when they arrived at the scene.
Newsweek contacted the Houston Police Department for comment via email outside of normal working hours.
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The case of a donut shop owner who has not been charged with a crime will go before a big ju judge to determine whether he will be charged with shooting and murdering a robbery.
Texas has the law “stand on your ground.” That is, he had the right to fire a gun if the owner could prove he was in danger of being hurt by an attempted robbery.
Matt Rourke/AP Photo
What do you know
Police were called to Snowflake Donuts just after 6am on Thursday and found the man shot and killed behind the counter, ABC13 reported. The man had a gun and the cash register was open.
The suspect was filmed as the only person, but detectives said the case “may have ended very differently.”
The shooting occurred amid reports of several donut shop robberies in the Houston area. Harris County officials warned locals in April of two individuals who stole from a local donut shop.
On April 29, Harris County District 7 Constable James “Smokey” Phillips shared CCTV footage on Facebook of one robber showing two young men entering a donut shop in masks and jumping over a service counter.
“The suspects known as “doughnut shop robbers” are believed to be targeting local donut outlets, they are armed and dangerous,” wrote Phillips.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the man killed Thursday is linked to robbery at other doughnut shops.
Advocates of the “Stand Your Ground” Act say it’s important for self-defense. However, these laws have been criticized as bringing a culture of “photographing first and asking questions later.”
The “Stand Your Ground” state gun owner will kill someone rather than call law enforcement to eliminate the situation.
What people are saying
Socrates Trujillo, a murder detective at the Houston Police Department, told the media: “This is a busy place, and since I get donuts and collashes before heading to work or going to school, I can have a very different ending.
What will happen next
The big ju judge has reviewed video footage from inside and outside the donut shop to decide whether to claim the shooter a crime.
