On October 8, 2015, Javed Nizamani, a 36-year-old man, was fatally shot at Barrett Grocery Store in Barrett Station, Texas. The incident occurred during an argument with a group of men who were loitering outside the store. Nizamani and his relative, Shazaib "Shawn" Nizamani, who also worked at the store, had previously encountered one of the men, John Larue Simpson, and decided he was not allowed in the store.
The argument escalated when Simpson returned to the store approximately 20 minutes later, this time armed with a firearm. Simpson fired multiple shots through the broken window of the store, hitting both Shawn and Javed. Javed was flown to a hospital by Life Flight but later succumbed to his injuries.
Following the shooting, Simpson fled the scene but was arrested a week later and charged with murder. In 2018, Simpson was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. The jury rejected Simpson's appeal for a sudden passion instruction, which could have potentially reduced the charge to manslaughter.
The tragic incident led to the lockdown of two nearby schools, Drew Intermediate and Barrett Primary School, but the lockdown was lifted shortly after. The Harris County Sheriff's Office conducted a thorough investigation, and Simpson was the primary suspect in the case.
The loss of Javed Nizamani deeply affected his family and friends, who remembered him as a kind and hardworking individual who was dedicated to his family and their business. The community mourned the loss of a young father of two children.
