TEXARKANA, Texas–A 61-year-old Texarkana man has been charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in connection with a shooting last month that left one man suffering with multiple gunshot wounds.
Rickey Jerome Watson and other unidentified suspects allegedly stole a small safe from a residence in the 300 block of Robison Place shortly before midnight Dec. 20, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The shooting victim allegedly responded to a knock on the door not long after his girlfriend had gone to bed in the residence. The girlfriend reported hearing arguing before the sound of multiple gunshots rang out. Two of the suspects reportedly came to the door of the room where the woman was in bed and pointed a gun at her, saying, “Shut up bitch, shut up bitch.”
The men allegedly spotted a safe in the room and took it with them before fleeing the area.
The man who was shot was taken to an area hospital for emergency care. After he was taken off of a ventilator, he reportedly was able to give investigators information that led to Watson being identified as a suspect. Watson’s residence was allegedly located 700 feet away from the shooting victim’s, the affidavit said.
Video surveillance footage from a nearby location reportedly showed multiple suspects fleeing the scene. A neighbor of the shooting victim’s allegedly reported seeing multiple men who appeared to be armed with handguns, according to the affidavit.
If found guilty of aggravated robbery, Watson faces five to 99 years or life in prison.
The case has been assigned to 202nd District Judge John Tidwell.