Texas billionaire and owner of Landry’s restaurant and the Houston Rockets contributed $60,000 to raise the reward to $100,000 dollars for the capture of two suspects responsible for the fatal shooting of a New Orleans police officer.
Tillman Fertitta decided to pitch in after 13-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department Everett Briscoe was shot to death while eating at the Grotto Ristorante near the Houston Galleria.
According to KSAT 12, Landry’s owns Grotto Restaurants.
Fertitta made the announcement in a tweet that read: “The violent crime in Houston is unacceptable. Today I raised the reward to help find the killers of off-duty officer Briscoe to $100K. I also contributed $1 million to @houstonpolice for rewards to find and arrest these types of dangerous criminals.”
According to ABC 13, Officer Briscoe was on vacation and in plainclothes at the restaurant when the incident occurred. Two armed suspects approached the diners and demanded that they hand over their belongings. Police said that the diners cooperated with the gunmen until one suspect fired on them and left.
Briscoe was shot and killed while his friend, Dyrin Riculfy, was critically wounded and remains in critical condition. No property was ultimately taken by the suspects.
“I find it so upsetting that a policeman visiting our city for a vacation weekend met such a violent death,” Fertitta, who also serves as the chairman of the Houston Police Foundation said at a news conference.
After a thorough investigation of surveillance video and identifying the suspects’ getaway car, the two assailants were ultimately arrested.
Frederick Jackson and Anthony Jenkins admitted to the shooting and have been charged with capital murder. They are currently behind bars and have been denied bond.
According to ABC 13, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said Jackson and Jenkins were out on bond at the time of the shooting. She then implied that the death penalty could be used against them.
Briscoe, 41, was a member of the Zulu Social Club in New Orleans, an organization known for its Mardi Gras Zulu parade.
The fallen officer leaves behind his wife and their two sons.
