Man Wanted In Funeral Home Killing
HCSO: Richard Toussiant Killed Oscar Lee Byrd Jr. Outside Funeral Home
POSTED: Friday, July 3, 2009
UPDATED: 6:25 pm CDT July 3,
2009
HOUSTON -- A man is wanted in connection with a fatal shooting at a visitation for a deceased child, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.
Harris County sheriff's deputies said Richard Earl Toussiant, 22, went to visitation for 3-year-old Ke'drick Donte Harris at the Brookside Funeral Home on the Eastex Freeway near Lauder Road on Thursday evening.
Relatives said Ke'drick's biological father told Toussiant, Ke'drick's mother's boyfriend, that he wasn't welcome at the service, but he showed up anyway.
After arguing with several of Ke'drick's relatives, Toussiant left. He later returned with a gun, officials said.
"The initial altercation started inside of the funeral home," Sgt. Greg Pinkins said. "It moved to the parking lot, where a physical altercation occurred. That physical altercation led to the shooting itself."
Deputies said Toussiant fired several shots, fatally wounding Oscar Lee Byrd Jr., Ke'drick's uncle.
Toussiant left the funeral home after the shooting, detectives said. He has been charged with murder.
"You don't see this happen every day … you don't see people shooting and someone getting killed at a funeral home," Pastor Edward Collins said.
Collins was scheduled to proceed over Ke'drick's funeral at Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church on Friday. The funeral was canceled because of the shooting.
Child Protective Services said it is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ke'drick's June 28 death. Officials said he died under mysterious circumstances.
Investigators said Toussiant's criminal record includes drug and burglary convictions.
Anyone with information regarding Toussiant's whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
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