Houston Liquor Store Owner and His Wife Turn Tables on Armed Robbery Suspect Posing as a Cop

An intense armed confrontation unfolded outside a southwest Houston liquor store, where a quick-thinking business owner and his wife fought back against a would-be robber who falsely claimed to be a law enforcement officer. The dramatic encounter was captured on surveillance video outside La Sultana Liquor Store, located at the intersection of Gessner and Harwin, on the evening of June 15.

Store owner Javier Reyes had stepped outside to take out the trash when a red car pulled up near the entrance. Moments later, a masked man carrying a gun and a flashlight ran toward him. The suspect, wearing a vest marked with the word "marshal," shouted commands identifying himself as a police officer.

“They told me, ‘I’m a cop. I’m the police. Get on the floor,’ and I said, ‘I didn’t do anything,’” Reyes recalled. Despite complying, Reyes quickly realized something wasn’t right. Although only one person was seen in the footage, he said there was another individual in the driver’s seat of the car.

After forcing Reyes to the ground, the armed man revealed his actual intentions. “When he got me on the floor, he told me, ‘It’s a robbery, it’s a robbery. I’m not the police,’” Reyes said. The situation could have ended tragically—especially when the suspect pointed the gun to Reyes’ head and threatened to kill him when he refused to hand over his valuables.

Inside the store, Reyes’ wife had been watching the incident unfold. The footage shows her retrieving a firearm and stepping outside with calm determination. She raised the gun and pointed it at the suspect, who immediately turned and began running. In his panic, he dropped both his gun and shoes as he fled.

That was the moment Reyes took action. He drew his own weapon and fired multiple shots, one of which struck the fleeing suspect. Injured, the man managed to crawl back to his getaway car. As the vehicle sped off, Reyes fired one final round.

“The police told me I did a great job,” Reyes said, though he acknowledged how close he came to death during the incident. Both he and his wife escaped unharmed, but the emotional aftermath has left a lasting impression. “I think about how easily it could’ve gone the other way,” he said.

Police later confirmed that the injured suspect showed up at a local hospital, though no charges have been filed as of yet. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities working to identify the second person in the vehicle and determine whether the firearm used by the suspect was real or a replica.

This harrowing incident serves as a stark reminder of the growing dangers business owners face, even in broad daylight, and highlights the importance of security preparedness. Thanks to fast reactions and courage under pressure, the attempted robbery ended not in tragedy—but in survival.