A man was beaten to death at a Texas gas station after the attacker mistakenly believed he had thrown a bottle at their car.
Ye Myint Aung, 38, died after being punched more than 20 times at a Synco gas station, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.
The attack happened around 9 a.m.. on May 23. About 12 hours later, Aung was reportedly found with severe trauma to his face.
Aung’s friend Lakisha Wilks called 911 when she arrived at the Synco Station to find Aung, lying on the ground, according to ABC 13.
“I said, 'Something is definitely wrong,’” she told the outlet. “And they said, 'Well, he's been here since 9:30 in the morning.' I said, 'No, no, no. Something's not right.' They said, 'Well, whatever you do, do not call 911.' And I said, 'No. Whatever I do, I'm going to call 911.’”
Aung was pronounced dead at the hospital on May 25.
On Wednesday, 22-year-old Lansselo Martinez was arrested and charged with murder, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Surveillance video footage from the gas station revealed key information that led them to the suspect. It shows the suspect and another person arriving at the gas station around 7 p.m. in which they are seen talking to Aung.
Martinez and the other person then drove off, and a beer bottle that had been placed on the hood of the car by the passenger fell off.
Martinez mistakenly believed someone threw a bottle at them and stopped the car and began attacking people inside the gas station, according to court documents.
The surveillance footage shows Aung, wearing a white shirt, being pummeled by another man, later identified by police as Martinez.
Aung could also be seen losing consciousness and collapsing at the back of the store.
More than 12 hours passed, but nobody called 911 until his friend Wilks showed up the next evening.
“He could have been saved, I truly believed,” Wilks said.
“He could have been saved! I didn't get there until 9:30 at night.”
Martinez remains in the Harris County Jail awaiting his court appearance.
