HOUSTON – Two men were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of New Orleans Det. Everett Briscoe, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Friday. Police said the men are also accused of shooting Dyrin Riculfy, 43, who remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Investigators said Frederick Jackson, 19, and Anthony Jenkins, 21, are in custody and charged with capital murder and attempted capital murder. There is a third person of interest, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said, but no information was released on that person in the Friday news conference.
In court overnight, Jackson’s bond was set at $2 million. Jenkins has not appeared in court yet.
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Anyone with additional information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Houston Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Mayor Turner highlighted a tip to Crime Stoppers for helping crack the case.
“I am grateful to members of the community who called in tips, including one to Crime Stoppers Houston, that led to an arrest in this case,” he said.
Earlier this week a $100,000 reward was offered in the case. Crime Stoppers said the arrests may result in the largest reward payout in the organization’s history.
A Houston police investigator said they believe the suspects were involved in a “robbery gone bad,” and that there is surveillance of the men at “several locations” doing robberies and stalking people to do the robbery.
Police said Briscoe was targeted for high-end jewelry.
Criminal background
Ogg said both men, in this case, have prior arrests. According to investigators, Jenkins is a known and documented gang member with YSB (Young Scott Block gang) that has been responsible for criminal activity in the southwest parts of Houston. While Jackson is a member of another gang, an HPD investigator said.
Jenkins, who has a prior juvenile conviction in 2017, was on bond for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when Briscoe was shot and killed. Bond was $40,000 when the new alleged offenses were committed, Ogg said.
Jackson was out on bond for aggravated robbery for an incident in 2020. He is accused of following a person home from the Galleria area and robbing that person at gunpoint of property in excess of $40,000. Ogg said Jackson had to post two bonds and forfeited them, once in January 2020 and once on Aug. 11 after he cut his ankle monitor off. His bond was $150,000.
Ogg said the issue of bond is perhaps a motivator in this case.
“There is some indication that the desire to obtain bond money could be involved in the case for another individual,” Ogg said. “I want to say that the way that bail is being handled right now by bonding companies can and may have compounded the problem. By just taking a small percentage and letting those accused who are out pay the balance, it can be considered motivation for further crime to raise their bond money.”
A no-bond request has been made in this case, according to Ogg.
UPDATE: At 11:30 a.m. TODAY, @houmayor Turner, HPD Chief @TroyFinner and @HarrisCountyDAO Ogg will provide an update in the investigation in the murder of off-duty @NOPDNews Everett Briscoe.
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) August 27, 2021
Media briefing to be held at HPD Headquarters and will be streamed live here. #hounews https://t.co/fkQ1b8rsHx pic.twitter.com/hg8wSwTY3T
The deadly shooting
Briscoe and Riculfy were shot Saturday at the Grotto Ristorante in the Galleria area while on a trip with friends from a well-known New Orleans social club. Police said the men were dining on the patio of the restaurant when two male suspects wearing hoodies approached them and attempted to rob them.
HPD said one or more of the suspects fired at the victims, hitting them both. The suspects fled the scene in a gray Nissan Altima.
Emergency response crews transported both victims to a local hospital, where Briscoe was pronounced dead, according to HPD.
Police said further investigation lead to the arrest of Jackson and Jenkins as suspects in the shooting.
Remembering Briscoe
In addition to being a husband and father of two, Briscoe was a 13-year law enforcement veteran and a New Orleans police detective. Over the last week, New Orleans law enforcement, political leaders and the community have expressed sadness and outrage regarding Briscoe’s death.
Briscoe will lie in state for a public viewing Friday at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in New Orleans from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., according to WDSU via a statement from the New Orleans City Council.
The funeral will be held Saturday at Xavier’s Convocation Center. The viewing will begin at 8 a.m. followed by a service at 11 a.m.
According to a report by WDSU, members of the community are encouraged to attend to pay their respects but are asked to provide either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72-hours of the funeral.
