Surveillance Video Released From Before Officer Shot, Robber Killed
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) -Surveillance video from Los Vaqueros bar shows gunmen with faces covered holding guns to peoples heads.
People were pushed down and forced to hand over wallets, purses, cash, anything of value.
"Just came in the back door and told us to hit the floor," said Los Vaqueros owner Victor Zepeda. "We hit the floor."
Bartender Carlos Herrera remembers every detail of the July night that he and dozens of customers were robbed at gunpoint at a Fort Worth bar, but it gets worse.
"One of them started knocking one of my friends down, they put him on the ground and they started kicking him in the floor," says Herrera. "He started bleeding. So I got scared. I thought I was going to die."
In late July, Fort Worth police released surveillance video of the suspects-- noting that they had been involved in at least four violent armed robberies, adding, "A victim was shot in the face, another was kicked in the head and knocked unconscious."
The suspect shot dead in a gun battle with police has been identified as Dacion Steptoe, who has a lengthy criminal history and who police say shot officer Garrett Hull in the head.
The suspects, police say, preyed on those who would perhaps be too afraid to come forward. Officials are pleading for more witnesses to do so now.
"Whether it's an after hours bar or some other thing taking place where people think that if they call they're gonna receive some scrutiny, we wanna relieve them of any fear that calling us is gonna cause a problem," says Fort Worth Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald. "I thoroughly expect that there will be more people coming forward from this city and others to say they have been victimized."
In fact, police believe the robbery suspects-- one in custody identified as Samuel Mayfield-- may have been involved in as many as 17 violent armed robberies.
"Wow! That's amazing," said Herrera, when told police believe they had arrested his attackers and one was dead. "Everybody needs to pay for what they do."
Police arrested a third suspect at the scene, Timothy Huff.
CBS11 reporter MaryAnn Martinez contributed to this report.