HOUSTON — A Richmond man was taken into custody Sunday in connection with the shooting that killed a Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable and wounded two other deputy constables, nearly two months after the incident, Houston police said.
Eddie Alberto Miller, 19, of Richmond, was taken into custody in Fort Bend County. Miller is charged with capital murder in connection with the shooting death of Deputy Constable Kareem Atkins, attempted capital murder and aggravated assault in regards to the shooting of Deputy Constables Darryl Garrett and Jaqaim Barthen.
"We knew where he was and at the right, appropriate time, we brought him into custody," Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a Monday afternoon press conference.
Miller's case was read aloud in Harris County Probable Cause Court Monday, and prosecutors asked that he be held in jail without bond.
Atkins' widow, Nadia Atkins, was among those who spoke Monday at the press conference. She remembered her late husband and praised the agencies involved in the investigation.
"He was a great person. He loved his job. To know that it was a kid that took him. That was so hard," she said. "I just want to keep him alive for the sake of my kids. He made a huge impact. All these people here. They worked really hard."
All three officers were shot outside a north Houston nightclub while working an extra security job during the early morning hours of Oct. 16.
HPD thanked Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office for aiding in the arrest.
Atkins, Garrett and Barthen were working in the 4400 block of the North Freeway, near Crosstimbers Street when they were reportedly alerted to a possible robbery just before 2 a.m.
Atkins and Garrett were detaining a suspect when a shooter opened fire on them from behind a vehicle, according to investigators. Both deputies were shot and Barthen, 26, rushed over when he heard the gunshots. He was also immediately shot, according to authorities.
Garrett was shot in the back and Barthen was shot in the foot. Barthen was released from the hospital.
Garrett remains in intensive care at a hospital, and Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said he's had good and bad days as he continues to recover.