Michigan rapper facing federal charges for Houston restaurant shooting

HOUSTON - A rapper from Michigan is facing a federal charge for the shooting earlier this month at a Houston restaurant.

Houston Confessions shooting: ‘AllStar JR’ charged

What we know:

Jeremy Christopher Ford, also known as "AllStar JR", has been charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, according to records from the US District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

According to the criminal complaint filed against Ford, he was convicted of felony home invasion in 2014 and sentenced to prison for 1.5 years.

During the April 2026 shooting, prosecutors claim Ford knowingly had a semiautomatic handgun that "traveled in interstate or foreign commerce" before he had it.

According to the Department of Justice, Ford has made his first court appearance in Detroit, and he remains in custody for a detention hearing set for April 27.

Big picture view:

The charge is tied to a shooting that happened on April 8 inside Confessions on Kirby Drive near the Southwest Freeway.

Authorities at the scene said the shooting suspect had a confrontation with a couple of people who were allegedly trying to rob him of his chains. Police say several other people joined the fight, and the shooter was being beaten up badly by the group.

The suspect then fired a pistol randomly into the crowd. Police reported two men were in critical condition.

Dig deeper:

Court records against Ford say surveillance video showed him at a table at Confessions with a woman. The two walked out of frame toward the elevators, then Ford re-entered and appeared to be talking on the phone.

A group of people followed Ford and crowded around him before an altercation broke out. Another person got in between and pulled Ford toward the elevators. While this was happening, two people only named "John Doe #1" and "John Doe #3" were seen walking into the restaurant toward where Ford and the group walked off.

The group re-enters the camera shot and, according to the documents, John Doe 1 and 3 appeared to be trying to take Ford's chain. John Doe #3 took the chain and ran out of the restaurant, then John Doe #2 appeared to have taken Ford's watch.

Ford allegedly started fighting with John Doe #1, then others in the group joined in. 

At some point, it's believed a gun fell to the floor from someone in the fight. Records say Ford picked up the gun and opened fire as everyone ran off. John Doe #1 appeared to have been shot and fell to the floor while everyone else ran toward the elevator.

Ford allegedly followed the group and kept firing at them. He then went back to where John Doe #1 was lying and fired another two rounds at him.

According to the documents, Ford shot the person again eight seconds later. He then tried to shoot the person again 20 seconds later, but it's believed the gun was out of ammunition.

Ford then allegedly struck John Doe #1 in the face with the gun and spat on him.

Another camera reportedly showed the rest of the group running into the elevator as shots rang out. Documents say an armed Ford was seen walking into the camera shot as the elevator doors closed.

A third camera allegedly showed Ford appear to clean off the gun before putting it on a counter behind what's believed to be a hostess stand. Ford then drove off before police arrived.

The records against Ford say three people were shot in total:

• John Doe #1 reportedly did not have sensation in his legs as of April 15
• John Doe #2's arteries were destroyed in his legs, and one of his finger had to be amputated
• A suspected bystander suffered a gunshot wound to his buttocks. The injury is said to be non-life-threatening.

After the shooting, records say Ford made "multiple videos to his social media page taunting John Doe #1 and others in the group he believes to have assaulted him."

Ford then posted a music video that allegedly made references to the shooting. Records quote one lyric stating, "Shootout right there in [the restaurant] now I'm two and oh."

What we don't know:

No one involved in the incident has been identified by officials other than Ford.

It's not clear who had the gun that Ford allegedly used.