Aldine officials robbed at gunpoint after meeting

Two Aldine ISD school trustees were robbed at gun point in front of the district office late Monday night following a board meeting. At around midnight, trustees Steve Mead and Art Murillo were in the district parking lot discussing an up coming board training when two armed men surprised them from behind.

The men put a gun to their heads and demanded money. Murillo had forgotten his wallet at home, a mistake that the gunmen did not like. Mead, however, had recently cashed a check and was able to give the robbers a wad of cash.

“I had quite a bit of money on me. I normally don’t carry that much. I think the money saved me,” Mead said.

The gunmen then made Mead and Murillo lie on the ground.

“I thought I was dead. I really did,” Mead said.

However, the gunmen took off, leaving Mead and Murillo shaken but unharmed.

The robbers are described as two black males between the ages of 19 and 23. One man is about 5’10”, 165 pounds, with a light complexion. The other man had a du-rag on his head.

At about the same time that evening in the same general vicinity there were two other robberies. Detectives are investigating to see if the three incidents were possibly related. As of yet, no positive connections have been made.

Before Monday night, the AISD district office did not have security officers present at the evening meetings. This incident has made clear the need for peace officers.

“We have security now,” Mead said.

Mead said that after a frightening robbery, many people become hard-hearted.

“I don’t want to be that way,” he said. “It makes me think: Did he go to school? Did he graduate?”

He said that some people who have heard his story say that there is no hope for the current generation.

“I hope that’s not true,” he said. “There are still a lot of good kids who come out of school and do good.”

Since this experience, Mead is more convinced that today’s male youth need positive role models and guidance.

“I don’t know what the solution is,” he said. “I’m just trying to do my part.”