HOUSTON – A Washington Avenue business says months of ongoing problems reached a dangerous turning point this week after a brick thrown during a confrontation shattered the front door of the shop.
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Houston business owner concerned after unknown man threw a brick, narrowly missing the owner
What they’re saying:
The owners of Prison Break Tattoos say they’ve been dealing with repeated incidents involving a man they — along with several neighboring businesses — believe to be homeless, although that has not been confirmed.
According to co-owner Dillon, the latest encounter happened Tuesday, July 21, as he was arriving to open the business.
Dillon says he asked the man to leave the property when the situation quickly escalated. He says the man became aggressive, picked up a brick, and threw it toward him. The brick narrowly missed Dillon but slammed into the shop’s front door, shattering the glass. The damaged entrance has since been boarded up with plywood while repairs are made.
Surveillance video captured the confrontation.
Co-owner Jen Finberg, Dillon’s mom, says the brick-throwing was not an isolated incident. She says the business has experienced repeated problems over the past several months involving the same man.
According to the owners, those incidents have included alleged vandalism to the property, damage to a bench outside the business, acts of indecent exposure near the storefront and personal items being left outside the shop.
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The owners say they have contacted police multiple times regarding previous incidents, but believe more needs to be done before someone is seriously injured.
While they say they want their employees, customers, and neighboring businesses to feel safe, Dillon and Finberg also emphasize that they hope the man receives whatever help or services he may need.
“We’re not trying to make anyone’s life harder,” the owners said. “We just want everyone to be safe, and we hope this person gets the help they need before something worse happens.”
The owners are also encouraging other business owners and residents in the Washington Avenue area to come forward if they’ve experienced similar encounters, saying they believe the issue extends beyond their business.
Anyone with information about the incident or similar encounters is encouraged to contact Houston police. They have confirmed with us, they are investigating.
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