WEST HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — New details have emerged about a deadly gang-related gunfight and a second suspect faces criminal charges in the fatal shooting at a Katy-area McDonald's that killed a 61-year-old grandfather earlier this month.
Paul Whitley, 19, of Cypress, was charged with aggravated assault for his role in the March 8 shooting that killed Jorge Arbaiza at the fast-food restaurant, according to court documents.
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Harris County Jail
Paul Whitley, 19, of Cypress, was charged with aggravated assault for his role in the March 8 shooting that killed Jorge Arbaiza.
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Harris County Jail
Antoine Ridge, 24
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The deadly shooting happened at this McDonald's on 6110 North Fry Road near West Little York
Prosecutors say Whitley shot and wounded another man inside the McDonald's restaurant on North Fry at West Little York in west Harris County. According to investigators, Whitley was part of a group of eight people who got into a violent altercation with another group inside the popular fast-food chain immediately before the shooting broke out.
Curt documents reveal that Arbaiza, was ordering Happy Meals for his grandchildren at a kiosk, was caught in the crossfire of the gun violence and struck multiple times in the chest, liver and spine, prosecutors said in the Houston-area shooting case.
Antoine Ridge, 24, of Cypress, was charged with murder last week in connection with Arbaiza's death in the fast-food restaurant shooting that has shocked the Katy - Cypress area.
During Ridge's initial court appearance Monday morning, prosecutors detailed the violent McDonald's shooting that turned deadly. They say Ridge and two other men were the first to arrive on that Sunday afternoon. The group went inside, ordered food and returned to their car.
Also read about the suspected killer being free on probation at the time of the murder
Shortly after, an SUV arrived carrying five men and three women. That group entered the restaurant, and Ridge's group followed them inside, investigators said, citing security camera footage from the fast-food establishment.
Prosecutors said the two groups might have been members of rival gangs or cliques in the Houston area, though the exact motive for the violent confrontation remains under investigation by Harris County law enforcement.
When they entered the restaurant, one of Ridge's companions began fighting with two men from the larger group. As the fight escalated, Whitley pulled is said to have pulled a gun from his waistband, according to court documents. Ridge then entered the restaurant with his own gun, and both men began firing in the crowded McDonald's.
Police described Ridge's weapon as a Glock handgun illegally modified to shoot like an automatic weapon. Arbaiza was hit in the crossfire as other children and families scrambled for cover in the west Houston fast-food location.
One of Whitley's shots hit one of Ridge's companions in the buttocks, according to police. The wounded man was treated at the scene and survived. Both Whitley and Ridge fled the McDonald's restaurant after the shooting, evading immediate arrest.
Whitley spoke to police on March 17 and admitted to firing his gun, according to court records from Harris County. However, he wasn't immediately arrested. A warrant for Whitley's arrest was issued Friday. He was in custody Monday morning facing criminal charges.
Ridge was identified and arrested after police interviewed his wounded friend, prosecutors said. District Judge Ana Martinez set Ridge's bond at $1 million for the shooting and an additional $30,000 for an unrelated aggravated assault charge.
Ridge's defense attorney, Kevin Petroff, declined comment after the hearing in Harris County court. In court, Petroff argued that Ridge was defending himself and requested a lower bond. Martinez ordered the bond remain at $1 million.
If Ridge makes bond, he must be tracked by GPS and remain on 24-hour house arrest as the murder case proceeds through the Harris County criminal justice system.