Three teenagers are facing aggravated robbery charges after Harris County deputies say a daytime walk in the Katy area turned into a gunpoint stickup with shots fired at a 17-year-old. Investigators say the teen was not hit but fell to the ground while the suspects went through his pockets. Authorities identified the three as ages 16, 18, and 19; two are legally adults, and one is a juvenile. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reports that all three are now accused of aggravated robbery.
Walk on Creekside Ridge Turns Into Armed Confrontation
According to Harris County deputies, the 17-year-old was walking in the 5500 block of Creekside Ridge just before 2 p.m. when a car pulled up, and the occupants demanded money. Court documents reviewed by ABC13 Houston state that the suspects got out of the vehicle with guns, and that one of the juveniles started shooting as the victim tried to run away. Deputies say the teen fell, and the suspects searched his pockets while more rounds were fired.
Court Records Lay Out Names, Threats And Cash Grab
Court filings identify 18-year-old Tyron Butler as the suspect who pointed a gun at the victim and warned, “If you don't give me everything, I'm gonna shoot you.” The documents say 19-year-old Andrew Gomez took at least $600 from the teenager’s pockets while a 16-year-old opened fire. Investigators say the three drove off and were located and arrested about 30 minutes later on nearby Clover Blossom Lane. The sheriff’s office reports that all three suspects are charged with aggravated robbery, according to ABC13 Houston.
Deputies See Broader Pattern In Katy Teen Robberies
The case lands in a community already on edge about youth-involved robberies. In May, deputies linked a separate group of teenagers to a string of armed hold-ups at convenience stores and a restaurant in the Katy area. Those incidents, which involved suspects as young as 13, led to multiple aggravated robbery counts and public warnings from law enforcement about increasingly brazen thefts involving juveniles across west Harris County, according to Click2Houston.
What An Aggravated Robbery Charge Carries In Texas
Under Texas law, aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony when a deadly weapon is used or when serious injury is threatened, and it can bring severe penalties if a person is convicted. How the defendants’ ages factor into the specific charges and what courts ultimately handle their cases will be up to prosecutors and judges. For the formal legal definition and penalty range, see Texas Penal Code §29.03.
