A mother is suing an apartment complex and gas station after her son was shot by a customer and left to die behind a southeast Houston gas station near a dumpster.
According to the lawsuit, on November 12, 2022, the victim, Satisfield Demarcus Landry was involved in an argument with another customer. Both employees and managers heard the argument and “did nothing to intervene” despite the other customer (who would end up being Landry’s killer) threatening Landry’s life several times. After Landry finished his purchase, he left the store. The customer who was threatening Landry was waiting behind the gas station, at the Wesley Square Apartments and shot Landry before fleeing.
In the initial media briefing (found in the video above) officers with the Houston Police Department arrived on the scene before EMS and found Landry on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Police then provided first aid, including the application of a tourniquet to try and help Landry but were unsuccessful in their attempts to do so. Paramedics with the Houston Fire Department arrived on the scene a short time later and pronounced Landry deceased.
The customer who shot Landry ended up identified as Michael Carl Draper and warrants were issued for his arrest on November 20. Draper was arrested by the Houston Police Department’s Southeast Patrol Division’s Crime Suppression Team and members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force on December 16, 2022.
The lawsuit filed by Landry’s mother names Shell Gas Station and Wesley Square Apartments as defendants because it alleges that they knew of the high crime rate, including the violent crime that plagues the area, and failed to take reasonable action to try and prevent some of this crime from happening. The Shell Gas Station employees and managers also heard the threats made against Landry but failed to intervene. Because they failed to keep her son safe, the lawsuit is seeking at least $10 million in monetary relief.
