A disagreement between two siblings in Waco, Texas, over a container of grapes quickly turned into a violent confrontation that brought police to a local apartment complex, according to an arrest affidavit.
Waco police responded shortly after 7 p.m. Sept. 24 to a reported domestic disturbance at the Tribeca Apartments on Sanger Avenue. Officers encountered 20-year-old Briasia White, her 18-year-old brother, Lamarian De’Shawn Girtman, and their mother outside the residence, according to the affidavit.
Police first spoke with White about what had happened.
White told investigators the dispute started after she confronted Girtman about eating grapes she had recently purchased. According to the affidavit, Girtman became angry and continued yelling at her as she walked into another room and locked the door.
The argument then moved to the bedroom door. Police said Girtman allegedly struck the door repeatedly and created a hole in it while trying to get inside.
White told investigators she warned her brother that she would spray him with pepper spray if he entered. She then opened the door and sprayed him, according to the affidavit.
Girtman was reportedly able to shield himself from most of the spray with his jacket. Police allege he then struck White several times on the side of her head.
During the confrontation, Girtman allegedly put his arm around White’s neck and told her, “I’m going to kill you,” according to the arrest affidavit.
White eventually managed to break free by striking her brother, bringing that part of the confrontation to an end, police said.
Both siblings gave police accounts of the fight
When investigators later spoke with Girtman, he acknowledged that the argument had started over the grapes, but he described the confrontation differently.
Girtman told police that White became angry and punched him in the face. He also said their younger brother tried to intervene as the fight continued.
According to the affidavit, Girtman did not deny that he attacked his sister. He reportedly told officers that he knew he would be arrested and said he had limited memory of the incident because he had “blacked out” in anger.
The younger sibling was also questioned by police. Investigators said he described an incident in which White allegedly slapped him while he was trying to separate the two older siblings.
White initially denied striking the younger brother, according to the affidavit. Police said she later admitted to doing so after being advised of her Miranda rights.
Two arrests followed the confrontation
White was arrested on a charge of injury to a child, while Girtman was arrested on a charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member, according to the Waco Police Department.
Jail records show both siblings were booked into the McLennan County Jail following the Sept. 24 incident. Both have since been released after posting bond.
The allegations described in the arrest affidavit are accusations, and the charges do not by themselves establish guilt.
The case highlights how a dispute that began over something as ordinary as food can escalate quickly when an argument turns physical. The available records do not indicate a final court outcome in the case.
