HOUSTON – A Texaco gas station manager was robbed, carjacked and shot to death in southwest Houston after closing the store, police said.
Police said Michael Truong, 55, the manager of the Texaco gas station at 14600 East Hilcroft St., had just locked up his store at 2 a.m. Saturday and walked to his minivan on the side of the building when he encountered two men waiting for him.
Surveillance video caught the two men attacking Truong. Police said he put up a fight before the men, armed with a handgun and a long gun, shot him twice and killed him.
The video shows one of the men jump up like he's been shot. Then his partner runs away and fires his handgun back in Truong's direction, the video shows. One robber limped off and jumped into a getaway vehicle. The other man jumped in Truong's van and took off, running over Truoung.
Police said the men also stole Truong's belongings after they shot him.
"It's a great loss for the community. If you needed gas, he'd give you gas. If you needed food, he'd feed you. If you needed money, he'd give you money," store customer Willie Rogers said.
Police found Truong's minivan abandoned on the side of Fuqua Street, about 3 miles from the gas station.
"It's not the first time. This is the second brother that has been killed in a robbery, a robbery attempt," said a family friend, Paul Smith.
Jim Huynh, who went to high school with Truong, called him his best friend.
"(There was) no need to kill him, you know," Huynh said. "You took away something. His wife (has) three kids."
Police are searching for the two men, who remain on the run.