On December 3, 2023, at approximately 5:25 p.m., Dwayne Robinson, 53, was fatally shot in the parking lot of Garza's Tire Shop, located at 4922 Lockwood Drive in northeast Houston. According to witnesses, Robinson had arrived to inflate his tires shortly after another customer, identified as 42-year-old Anthony Ray Gardner, had come for service. An exchange of words occurred between the two men, culminating in Gardner allegedly firing multiple shots at Robinson.
The entire incident unfolded rapidly, in the presence of the tire shop owner's family, including three young children, leaving them traumatized.
Following the shooting, Gardner fled the scene in a maroon SUV, which was later found abandoned at a nearby gas station. Houston Police Department (HPD) officers, utilizing surveillance footage and witness accounts, identified Gardner as the suspect. He was apprehended on December 4 by the HPD Northeast Patrol Division's Crime Suppression Team. Gardner has been charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in the 232nd State District Court.
Gardner's criminal history includes a 2001 conviction for the fatal beating of a man with a bat. Despite this prior conviction, he was not only in possession of a firearm but is now accused of committing another violent crime. Prosecutors have requested that Gardner be held without bond due to his criminal record; however, court records indicate that he is currently held on a $500,000 bond.
The tragic death of Dwayne Robinson has left his family and the local community in mourning. An online memorial has been established, allowing friends and loved ones to share their condolences and memories. The tire shop owner, whose family witnessed the shooting, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, noting the lasting trauma it has inflicted on his children. He has since held vigils at the shop, praying for peace and safety in the community.
