Suspects in killing of New Orleans police detective claim they were getaway drivers

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Two Houston gang members charged in the murder of a New Orleans police detective and wounding his friend insist that neither of them pulled the trigger during a botched daytime robbery at a restaurant. 

Frederick Jackson, 19, and Anthony Jenkins, 21, said in separate police interviews that they were both in a getaway vehicle when Detective Everett Briscoe, 41, was fatally shot and Dyrin Riculfy was injured on Aug. 21 at the Grotto Ristorante near The Galleria shopping mall, KTRK-TV reported. 

Harris County prosecutors revealed the information from court documents during separate court appearances by each defendant on Monday. 

Anthony Jenkins, 21, and Frederick Jackson, 19, face capital murder charges for the death of an off-duty New Orleans police detective.  (Fox 26 Houston)

Both suspects said they were at the busy location targeting people for high-priced jewelry robberies and were inside a Nissan Altima while someone else committed the deadly robbery. Both have records for violent crimes and were out on bond for other cases at the time of the slaying. 

Jenkins is charged with capital murder, attempted murder, tampering and fabricating evidence, aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Jackson faces capital murder and attempted capital murder charges. 

Both are in custody and a third person is being sought in connection to the killing. Bond hearings for the pair are scheduled for Wednesday. 

Briscoe had just arrived in Houston from New Orleans with friends when they checked their bags into a hotel and walked over to the restaurant. 

While they were on the restaurant patio, two men tried to rob the group and opened fire, prosecutors said. Briscoe, a 13-year police veteran and married father of two, was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was escorted to New Orleans last week and laid to rest.

New Orleans police Det. Everett Briscoe was killed during a robbery while visiting Houston, authorities said.  (New Orleans Police Department)

Riculfy remains hospitalized in critical condition. 

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On Friday, Houston officials announced that both suspects had been taken into police custody. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said that "death is on the table," signaling she could seek the death penalty for both defendants. 

Authorities said the pair was seen on security video stalking potential robbery victims in the area where the killing occurred. Ogg speculated that they could have been committing robberies to raise bail money for a friend.