Houston Police on Tuesday announced that the reward for any information leading to the arrest of a suspect who fatally shot off-duty New Orleans police officer is now increased to $100, 000.
Detective Everett Briscoe, the 13-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department, was killed in a robbery outside the Grotto Ristorante. A friend of Briscoe identified as Dyrin “DJ” Riculfy was also shot and was critically injured. He is currently confined at Ben Taub Hospital, in critical condition, Khou.com reported.
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner at first announced the reward increased from $10,000 to $40,000 but Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta added $60,000 to the number, making the total reward $100,000.
Mayor Turner said that they have already received tips from several callers. “Somebody out there knows something, we’re asking you to step up,” he said, adding: “Do the right thing.”
The mayor also reached out to the two suspects. “We will find you, we will not stop until we find you,” Turner said.
Fertitta also announced that he is donating $1 million to Houston Police Department for other rewards to find and arrest these types of dangerous criminals. “As an extra effort, I am contributing $1 million to the Houston Police Department, for the chief to use as rewards for information to find and arrest the dangerous criminals causing such violence in our city.”
“Everyone in Houston is aware of the dramatic increase in violent crime throughout our city. I find it particularly upsetting that a New Orleans policeman visiting our city for a vacation weekend met such a violent death. In Houston, we have to do better,” Fertitta said.
A procession was done Tuesday morning for Detective Briscoe as his remains were escorted by HPD from a funeral home in southeast Houston.
Briscoe, together with his friends were in Houston during the weekend to visit other members of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club that he was a member of.
Zulu PRESIDENT Elroy James said that they traveled from New Orleans, stayed at Hotel Derek, and as soon as they arrive at the hotel Sunday afternoon, some of the members went across the street to Grotto to ‘smoke cigars and have a few drinks. Just minutes later, the deadly shooting happened.
“It’s unbelievable you could be in a city for less than two hours and you have tragic incidents one in death and somebody critically injured,” James said.
James also said that he joined the group at Grotto but left to go to CVS pharmacy to grab some pain medication. While at the pharmacy, James said he received a phone call. “You have to come back. Mr. Briscoe has been shot in the side,” James said. He ran back to the restaurant.
“Two brothers had been shot and two members that were there tending to officer Everett Briscoe were trying to comfort him I jumped to call 911,” James said.
Other members of their group told James that the suspects came from behind the building and told them to raise their hands. “And they kept their hands in the air. Another guy came from behind the building and it sounded like there was a command given to him and (he) comes from behind the building and starts to shoot,” James said.
James also said that he thinks the suspects were not able to get anything and still unsure of why the suspect fired his gun.
“To see his life taken away in an area he worked so hard to make sure didn’t exist in our community is kind of hard for most of us to accept,” James said.
Police are still on the lookout for the suspects. Police believe that the suspects were driving a gray or silver Nissan Altima. Anyone who has any information is asked to come forward or call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
