HOUSTON – Police have charged three suspected robbers involved in a five-man crew that investigators say robbed a furniture store in north Houston. Officers said two suspects were arrested, one hospitalized and two fatally shot during an ensuing police shootout in the store's parking lot.
Officers said Lontay Lavelle Young, 32, and Ross Anthony White Leonard, 25, are charged with aggravated robbery. Police said Barry Jones, 34, who was grazed in the shoulder during the exchange, is also facing charges. Jones is being treated at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Leonard has posted a $30,000 bond.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has identified the two dead suspects as Scott Bennett and Christopher Nelms.
Police said undercover officers had been following a group of men Thursday night who had been switching cars throughout the day. They tracked them down at a furniture store parking lot at the North Freeway and Aldine Bender. When they saw the men running out after robbing the store, officers confronted them. Investigators said some of the men pointed their weapons at officers. That's when five officers opened fire.
The furniture store is located in a shopping center. We spoke to a few people who were working at other stores before the shootout started.
Harry Cheng said he was outside doing his job when men came up and put a gun to his back.
Cheng shows what he and a customer inside the Lumber Liquidators did when a Houston police officer came past his store telling them to get down on the ground. Next Cheng said he heard an exchange of gunfire.
"We were caught in the moment because we didn't realize until it happened. So, we were just kinda down. We were just down. A little speechless. We were just down waiting for things to roll by," Cheng said.
Timeteo Espinoza also works in the shopping center.
Through his son's translation, Timeteo Espinoza said the robbers put a gun to his head as he was out front working in a furniture-moving truck.
"Once he got into the truck, someone put a gun on him and forced him to go on the ground," Espinoza's son said.
Lashondra Sandel was friends with two suspects who were shot and killed.
"We just want to know why, Sandel said. “They didn't have to shoot them in the back. They literally just killed them."
The father of one of the suspected robbers said he is not disputing his 23-year-old son may have tried to rob a furniture store, but says his son is not a member of organized crime.
"I want the people to know that my son was not in no gang and the police officers that we have now, they should have more respect for the peoples," Charles White said. "You ain't got to be no gang member to rob no store. Everybody who robbing ain't in no gang."
None of the officers were hurt.
K. Huey, a 20-year veteran; J. Williams, a 10-year veteran; B. LeBlanc, a 7-year veteran; J. Calhoun, a 9-year veteran and R. Caldera, a 3-year veteran, are all on on administrative duty until the investigation is complete.