HOUSTON – Friends and family members of one of the men shot during Saturday’s robbery at a restaurant near the Galleria area is now hoping for the best.
“Everybody loved this guy,” said Kirt, a close friend of the Riculfy family.
Riculfy is currently fighting for his life while in a medically induced coma.
“We’re praying and trying to hope, you know, for the best. That is all we can do,” said Kirt.
HPD posted images on social media of the suspects who they say are responsible for the shooting death of an off-duty New Orleans detective.
Sources told KPRC 2 Investigates that HPD Detectives believe neither victim was targeted.
“I think we are seeing more and more of this, especially in my district and throughout the city,” said councilmember Greg Travis.
Travis represents the Galleria area and says the district is an attraction for criminals.
“They go to my district because that is where the money is,” he said.
KPRC 2 Investigates reviewed HPD’s crime stats for the Galleria area, and it showed 1,638 crimes for 2021, ranging from various crimes including murder, aggravated assault, and theft. The total is up nearly 14% from this time a year ago, according to HPD. Houston police also said there have been no significant cases of shoppers being followed and robbed after a task force was announced in the spring.
“The crime surge is out of control,” said State Senator John Whitmire to KPRC 2 Investigates in reference to crimes around the city.
Whitmire has voted multiple times for bond reform in the state Senate and said violent criminals need to pay.
“These folks going up and shooting and robbing folks, and burglarizing at restaurants, and in their driveways is a direct result, in my opinion, and in stakeholders opinions, is because people are not being held accountable,” said Whitmire who also views a court system with a massive backlog as a key component to the crime surge.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case.