HOUSTON – Police have arrested a man accused of shooting a father multiple times while trying to take his family's car with their baby inside.
Armando Velasquez was with his fiancé and their 1-year-old daughter returning home from a fast food restaurant Thursday when they were ambushed by two would-be carjackers.
Now, Adarrion Deonte Christie, 19, is charged with aggravated robbery. He appeared in court Tuesday morning and is being held in a Harris County jail on no bond.
Authorities first encountered Christie during a traffic stop, according to court documents.
It's alleged there was a 45 caliber in the car. It's suspected to be the same gun used to shoot Velasquez. It was said in court that Christie's friend, who was riding with him, ratted him out as the gunman.
A second would-be thief is still on the loose.
Velasquez's fiance, Sarah Harris, is left to pick up the pieces.
“He’s my everything. We’ve known each other since we were 16 years old, we’ve been through so much,” she said of her fiancé.
Velasquez saved Harris’ life when the two carjackers attacked them at 1 a.m. outside their east Harris County apartment.
The carjackers attempted to take the couple’s car with their 1-year-old daughter, Emma, sitting in the back seat.
“Armando dove into the car to get the keys, to fight for the keys with the guy who was inside and when he got out of the car, that’s when they just opened fire on him and hit him all six times," Harris said.
Velasquez was shot three times in the stomach, once in both legs, in the wrist and in the groin.
But Harris said Velasquez kept fighting to save his daughter.
“He didn’t even fall on the ground until they had run away. He was still charging at them with six bullet holes in him, after he had been shot six times,” Harris said.
Velasquez did drive the attackers off and saved his family, but the couple’s 20-year-old car is all but useless. Harris says it looks like a slaughterhouse.
“It’s covered in blood … soaked in blood … from the driver’s seat to the dashboard. It’s terrible,” Harris said.
Velasquez has undergone one surgery and is expected to need more to repair the damage done to his body, but Harris said he will recover.
With Velasquez being out of work for weeks, possibly months, Harris is struggling to pay the bills.
The family has started a Gofundme account to help pay for Armando's medical bills and car damage.