Two years ago, a Harris County constable deputy working an off-duty security shift at the Five Guys restaurant on North Shepherd Drive in the Garden Oaks area of Houston was shot in the arm when he tried to intervene in a robbery there.
Deputy Brian Williams was watching the restaurant from his car in the parking lot when he spotted a man robbing the customers inside. As Williams headed toward the restaurant, the robber fired several shots at him through the store window, hitting Williams once in the arm.
Williams refrained from returning fire so as not to endanger customers in the restaurant.
“The deputy had to wait because you can’t shoot into the building,” a police spokesman said at the time. “It’s a very difficult situation.”
According to another spokesman, Williams had successful surgery and was expected to make a full recovery: “He’s very lucky and very fortunate that he’s going to be OK.”
Apparently, Deputy Williams doesn’t think he was fortunate enough, however, and has filed a million-dollar lawsuit in Harris Country District Court against the restaurant owners and managers for their “negligence” in letting him get shot.
Williams says management was aware that the area was dangerous. The fact that they hired an off-duty cop to provide security would seem to confirm that. His acceptance of the assignment suggests that he knew also.
So, why is Deputy Williams suing Five Guys? He was supposed to be providing security for them, not vice versa.
As it happens, the perp, Keith Lamar Thomas, had a criminal record and probably should have been locked up at the time. Who’s to blame for that negligence? Deputy Williams, himself, or some of his fellow police officers? Maybe some district attorneys? Some judges? Or maybe just Keith Lamar Thomas, who no doubt has no assets or earning capacity and is not worth suing.
Someone in the Harris County Constable’s Office needs to have a talk with Williams.