- A Uber driver was taken into custody in connection with the death of a beloved Houston pastor.
- Deshawn Longmire was charged with murder for the fatal shooting of Rev. Ronald Mouton.
- Witnesses told police that the shooting was a result of a road rage confrontation.
A Uber driver was arrested and charged after being accused of fatally shooting a beloved Houston, Texas pastor, police and local outlets reported.
Deshawn Longmire, 23, was charged with murder in connection to the death of 58-year-old Rev. Ronald Mouton, according to Houston Police and KTRK.
Police said in their statement released on Friday that that incident occurred at 6400 Gulf Freeway on June 24. The location is just minutes away from East Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, where Mouton served as a pastor for more than three decades, KTRK reported.
According to the police, when officers responded to the scene, they were told by first responders that "Mouton was pronounced deceased from a gunshot wound."
Per the statement, witnesses told police that they believed that the incident was a result of a road rage incident with a person in a black sedan. The statement said that an investigation led to officials linking Longmire to the case.
Longmire allegedly informed police that he was an Uber driver but was not near the freeway during the time of the incident, KTRK reported citing court documents. However, a phone search reportedly disputed those claims and revealed that he was near the scene.
Uber told KHOU that Longmire's access to Uber was revoked after receiving information relating to the investigation and added, "Our thoughts are with Rev. Mouton Sr.'s family and friends during this difficult time."
Mouton's family called the incident a "senseless tragedy" and asked for privacy.
"We want the man who took his life to understand the seriousness of his crime. He took the life of a husband, a father," the family said in a statement shared with KTRK. "Our confidence and hope are in the proficient work of the police. We also hope the work of the entire criminal justice system is done thoroughly and that justice is duly served."
