HOUSTON – A man was in critical condition at Ben Taub Hospital Wednesday, after being robbed and shot in the back outside his catering business in southwest Houston, according to Houston police.
Witnesses identify the victim as Efrain Cervantes, owner of Los Chefs Hermanos, located on the 7000 block of Bissonnet.
The shooting occurred at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday.
"He was saying help me, 'Please help me,'" said Ashley Jones, who works in a clinic next door to Cervantes.
Jones told KPRC2 she heard a single gunshot before running outside to see Cervantes on the ground in the parking lot. Cervantes told Jones what happened to him.
"He was trying to get in and they just shot him and left," Jones said.
Houston police confirm two suspects driving a white Nissan followed Cervantes to his business. One got out of the car, robbed and shot Cervantes, before both suspects took off.
Investigators are looking into whether Cervantes was the latest "bank jugging" victim in Houston. Jugging refers to a bank customer being targeted for theft, because the victim left the bank with cash.
"He told us that he would go to the bank before he came. I don't know if it was everyday but I know he's shared that with us before," Jones said.
Others who work in the strip mall said they were worried.
"Very scary, that is, because that's not good," said Thomas Doal, who works in a liquor store.
Investigators hoped surveillance video from the strip mall would help identify the two suspects.
