Armed Robbery Attempt Ends in Gunfire at Cypress Costco Parking Lot
What You Need to Know:
A man selling a luxury watch was ambushed by three armed suspects in the Cypress Costco parking lot Thursday night.
The seller’s uncle opened fire, striking two suspects before all three fled.
Deputies located and arrested the suspects within an hour; all now face aggravated robbery charges.
CYPRESS, Texas — A planned online watch sale escalated into a parking lot shootout Thursday evening outside the Costco along Highway 290 near Mueschke Road.
According to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office, the incident happened around 8 p.m. when a man arranged to meet a buyer for a high-end watch he had listed online.
Instead of a transaction, authorities say three males arrived armed with firearms and attempted to rob the seller at gunpoint.
As the suspects moved to take the watch, the victim’s uncle exited the store and confronted them. The uncle, who was armed, opened fire, striking two of the three suspects.
All three suspects fled the scene in a vehicle.
Deputies tracked them down within the hour. Two of the suspects — ages 17 and 18 — were located at a local hospital, where one underwent surgery. Both are expected to survive. A third suspect, a 16-year-old juvenile, was also taken into custody.
All three are now facing aggravated robbery charges.
Authorities have not released the names of anyone involved. It remains unclear whether the uncle arrived at Costco with the seller or happened to be nearby when the robbery unfolded.
Second Online Meetup Shooting in a Week
The incident marks the second online marketplace transaction in the area this week that ended in gunfire.
Harris County Constable Mark Herman issued a strong warning about the risks of meeting strangers for high-value sales.
“For a few hundred dollars, you’re risking your life and exposing yourself and friends and family to these people you don’t know,” Herman said. “A lot of things in life are just common sense. My recommendation is don’t do it.”
Authorities continue urging residents to use designated Safe Exchange Zones — typically located at local law enforcement offices — when conducting online sales.
What was supposed to be a routine exchange in a busy retail parking lot quickly turned into an active crime scene — a reminder that even well-lit public spaces are not immune when transactions go wrong.