HOUSTON – During a 1 p.m. news conference, authorities announced an increase in the reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunman who killed a Harris County Constable Precinct 4 Deputy and wounded two others over the weekend.
With assistance from Billionaire Tillman Fertitta and an anonymous private citizen, the reward has been increased to $75,000 -- up from Houston Crime Stopper’s $10,000 reward. Fertitta contributed $40,000, while anonymous citizen contributed $25,000.
“This is just unbelievable that once again, we’re here,” Fertitta said. “For Deputy Atkins and his family to have to go through this and for him not to watch his children grow up and his grandchildren, it’s almost unbelievable.”
“Please speak if you know something,” Fertitta continued. “Because it could happen to you and your family. You’re not going to commit a crime in this city and us just go on about our day. We’re going to come up with the money and catch you. Think don’t ruin your own life when you commit these deadly crimes . . . Think, think before you shoot. You don’t want to spend the rest of your life in jail. We’re going to be better than the other big cities in America because we will come after you.”
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also spoke during the news conference Wednesday. He plead with the public to come forward with any information.
“My plea is very simple -- For those that have information, I don’t care how much or how small, for those who have information, you have an obligation and a responsibility to provide that information, “Turner said. “Put yourselves in the shoes of these loved ones, put yourselves where they are.”
Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman described the Saturday ambush as a “slaughter.”
“We’ve never been through anything like this before,” Herman said. “This is a complete tragedy. We will get through it and we’ll live to fight another day. There’s more work to be done but first we’ve got to get this past us.”
What happened Saturday:
The gunman, who was armed with an AR-15 rifle, ambushed three Harris County deputies early Saturday morning, killing one and wounding the two others while they were responding to a disturbance outside a bar in north Houston, authorities said.
The deputies had been working an extra shift at 45 Norte Bar and Lounge and responded to a report of a robbery outside the bar around 2:12 a.m. Two deputies were trying to arrest a robbery suspect when the gunman opened fire on them, authorities said. Upon hearing the gunshots, the third deputy rushed outside to aid his fellow deputies and was also shot, the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office said.
RELATED: Body of slain Pct. 4 Deputy Kareem Atkins escorted to funeral home
Deputy Kareem Atkins died from his injuries. He was 30. Atkins began working with Precinct 4 in January 2019. He had recently returned from paternity leave. He leaves behind a wife and two-month-old child.
Deputy Juqaim Barthen, 26, and Deputy Darrell Garrett, 28, were wounded in the shooting. Barthen joined Precinct 4 in September 2019. Garrett joined in March 2018. Barthen was released from Memorial Hermann Hospital Downtown on Wednesday. Garrett, who was shot in the back multiple times, underwent several surgeries and remains hospitalized in serious condition.
The case remains under investigation by the Houston Police Department. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged to report it to the HPD Homicide Division at (713) 308-3600 or Crime Stoppers of Houston at (713) 222-TIPS.