Billionaire Tillman Fertitta raises reward to $100K in death of New Orleans police officer at Houston restaurant

Texas billionaire Tillman Fertitta has contributed $60,000 to raise a reward to $100,000 to capture the gunmen in the death of a New Orleans police officer over the weekend in Houston.

Fertitta, the owner of Landry’s and the Houston Rockets, made the announcement on Tuesday as Houston police continue to investigate Officer Everett Briscoe’s slaying on Saturday at the Grotto Ristorante near the Galleria. Landry’s owns Grotto restaurants.

Briscoe was dining outside when two armed men demanded that diners hand over their belongings, police said. Patrons cooperated with the assailants until one of the men opened fire as they left.

Briscoe, a 13-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department, was hit and killed. Another man was critically wounded by the gunfire.

“I find it so upsetting that a policeman visiting our city for a vacation weekend met such a violent death,” Fertitta, who is chairman of the Houston Police Foundation, said during the news conference.

Before he announced his contribution, Turner said the reward had been raised to $40,000.

The mayor said that while police have received several tips, no arrests have been made

“There’s no doubt in my mind that someone out there knows something, and we’re asking you to step up and provide that information,” Turner said.

Finner previously said the suspects fled the restaurant with nothing, the Associated Press reported.

Police released surveillance images of two men suspected in the slaying. They drove off in a silver-gray Nissan Altima with paper tags, police said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information on the shooting or gunmen to contact homicide detectives at 713-308-3600.

For more information on reporting a tip, click here.

Read also:

• Man arrested, charged with murder in connection with wife’s disappearance in 2019
• Former deputy under investigation after police found him with teen laying in own vomit