Staged Robbery Fatally Stopped by Armed Bystander, Police Say It Was Part of an Immigration Scheme

What appeared to be a robbery in January in which the alleged perpetrator was shot and killed by an armed bystander was actually staged as part of an immigration scheme for the two “victims” to obtain temporary residency visas, police told a news outlet.

The so-called robbery grabbed headlines on Jan. 27 when a man was observed robbing a couple at gunpoint at a gas station on the city’s northwest side, as Houston’s KTRK-TV reported at the time.

The apparent robber, who was identified as 22-year-old Rasshauud Scott, pistol-whipped the male victim and took his wallet.

But as Scott fled the scene of the “crime,” he was fatally shot by an armed bystander who witnessed the event at the Zip In-Zip Out Chevron gas station.

That bystander, Houston’s KRIV-TV reported, was identified as Jesus Vargas, a man who was on probation at the time of the shooting and fled the scene before police arrived. Vargas was not allowed to possess a firearm while on probation, KRIV reported.

Trending:

Caitlin Clark Leaves 3-Word Message to Iowa Fans as She Heads to the WNBA

But amid what has now been a months-long investigation in a city racked by illegal immigration, Houston police now say investigators were misled by the two unnamed “victims” of Scott’s robbery.

In fact, as police told KTRK this past week, evidence indicates the “robbery” was staged to help the couple obtain visas that are available for those who are victims of crime.

A selfie of one of the victims was found on Scott’s phone, KTRK reported. Also, text messages from Scott’s phone show him communicating with an individual identified as William Winfrey, according to reports.

Is our immigration system being exploited?

The messages indicate Scott and Winfrey set up the crime.

According to KRIV-TV in Houston, Winfrey “paid Scott to fake the robbery” so the supposed victims could use the incident to remain in the United States.

Winfrey has confessed to planning the staged robberies, KRIV reported.

He now faces a murder charge in connection with the case.

The KRIV report is below:

Related:

Illegal Immigrant Charged with Killing His Wife in ‘Extremely Violent’ Manner 2 Weeks After Entering US

Under Department of Homeland Security policy, some non-citizens are eligible for visas if they are awaiting the results of a criminal proceeding in which they were victims.

According to the DHS website, a U visa is “set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.”

If indeed Scott was working to make it appear as though he had assaulted his “victims” during a robbery, then both could be eligible for the U visa.

The visa in question was created to assist federal authorities in their fight against human trafficking, domestic assault and other crimes.

Police found an image of one of the “victims” on Scott’s phone as well as text messages between Scott and the individual identified as Winfrey that implied that the robbery and assault were staged, according to KTRK.

“When you done run make all the (expletive) to look real,” Winfrey texted Scott just before he was killed, KTRK reported.

Another message from Winfrey to Scott read, “It’s the usual gas station (expletive),” according to KTRK.

According to KTRK, police said Scott and Winfrey had set up robberies since 2023 to help “victims” get visas, including one on Jan. 26, the night before the fatal robbery. In the Jan. 26 case, Scott pretended to rob the cashier at a Houston gas station, according to KTRK.

According to KTRK, those caught trying to abuse the U visa program, risk being permanently banned from the country.

KTRK reported it had not been able to find criminal charges against the “victims” in either the Jan. 26 or Jan. 27 incidents.

A decision on whether to charge Vargas in Scott’s death is in the hands of a grand jury, KRIV reported.


A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:

 

I heard a chilling comment the other day: “We don’t even know if an election will be held in 2024.” 

 

That wasn’t said by a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday prophet. No, former U.S. national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said that to the founder of The Western Journal, Floyd Brown.

 

Gen. Flynn’s warning means that the 2024 election is the most important election for every single living American. If we lose this one to the wealthy elites who hate us, hate God, and hate what America stands for, we can only assume that 248 years of American history and the values we hold dear to our hearts may soon vanish.

 

The end game is here, and as Benjamin Franklin said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

 

All of this means that without you, it’s over. We have the platform, the journalists, and the experience to fight back hard, but Big Tech is strangling us through advertising blacklists, shadow bans, and algorithms. Did you know that we’ve been blacklisted by 90% of advertisers? Without direct support from you, our readers, we can’t continue the fight.

 

Can we count on your support? It may not seem like much, but a Western Journal Membership can make all the difference in the world because when you support us directly, you cut Big Tech out of the picture. They lose control. 

 

A monthly Western Journal Membership costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content — news, commentary, and premium articles. You’ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America’s soul in 2024.

 

We are literally counting on you because without our members, The Western Journal would cease to exist. Will you join us in the fight? 

 

Sincerely,

Josh Manning

Deputy Managing Editor

The Western Journal

Source link