Video shows moments leading up to Chris Wright’s murder
Content Warning: Some of the footage discussed in this story is disturbing.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The suspect in a homicide late last month was in court this morning for his preliminary hearing.
Bryan Houston says he was with Darryl Roberts the night of September 28 when Chattanooga Police say he shot and killed Chris Wright next to Patten Towers.
He says they hung out together every night at that spot.
The surveillance footage used in Monday’s preliminary hearing came from a camera adjacent to Patten Towers.
The last few moments a man identified as Darryl Roberts (in the red facing the camera) walks up to Chris Wright (in the blue and white shorts facing away from the camera) and shoots him in the head, killing him. This is from surveillance footage at Patten Towers along Georgia Avenue near Market/E. 11th Streets on the night of September 28, presented in a preliminary hearing on October 16.
That would have been located at the corner of Market and East 11th Streets, on the blue and yellow checkered sidewalk that begins Georgia Avenue.
The footage begins at approximately 11:30 p.m. with a man identified by a CPD detective as Roberts arriving at a stairway to hang out with Houston.
They sit there and talk for the next 18 minutes until 11:48, when another man, identified as Chris Wright, comes walking past them.
There was no audio played to hear what happens next.
As he walks past them, Wright stops and then begins engaging in an argument with the men, pointing at them.
Houston vaguely described the nature of this argument.
Houston testified, “I mean I didn’t know him, but he stopped in front of us… I’m kind of paranoid so I don’t really like anyone stopping in front of me. “Sir, keep it moving that way, please get out the front of us.” … He was just looking tough, so I told him to keep it moving, simple as that.”
The prosecutor asked, “By tough do you mean chest pumped out?”
Houston responded, “I mean kinda brute, like brute.”
Wright starts to walk away, then gestures towards the men.
He walks a few steps further down the sidewalk and then turns around again.
At this point, the man identified as Roberts gets up and walks towards Wright.
Just feet away from him, he pulls out a gun.
Moments later, Roberts walks up to Wright and shoots him in the head, killing him.
In the aftermath, Roberts stops for a few seconds, then calmly walks away.
He would be arrested the day after and charged with first degree murder.
Houston says it was a typical night at Patten Towers gone terribly wrong.
Houston testified, “It was just a bad incident. (shrugs) I mean I love my brother but it was just a bad incident.
The prosecutor asked, “By brother you mean?”
Houston responded, “Too Tall (Darryl Roberts’ nickname), he’s my brother, I love him. It was a bad accident. (shrugs).”
The judge presiding over the case found probable cause to bound this case over to a grand jury.
Roberts is still being held at the Hamilton County Jail on a five million dollar bond.
Chris Wright was only 38 years old.
