‘He’s always been a hero’: Father of 2 killed while...

Brian and Megan Marksberry on Sunday were on their way to lunch near Deerbrook Mall when their family’s “perfect morning” was shattered.

Lunch plans were interrupted when Megan watched three armed Humble police officers chase a gunman through a busy parking lot.

She tried to avoid the pistol-wielding man who darted around restaurants and jewelry stores. She hunkered down in a car with her husband and two kids in front of a Men’s Wearhouse.

The gunman turned toward their direction, where other bystanders filmed the chaos on their phones, she said. Brian Marksberry jumped out of the car to help the officers, who she said trailed by more than 100 yards. Seconds later, gunshots rang out from behind the nearby Men’s Wearhouse.

“Deep down, you just know something is not right when you don’t see your husband come back from the side of the building,” she said.

Her 31-year-old husband was shot by the gunman when he tackled the man to the ground, police said. Pursuing officers then shot the suspect, later identified by Humble police as Zachery Anderson Jr., multiple times. Both men were pronounced dead at a hospital.

Humble police said Anderson did not live in the Houston area. He is originally from Missouri and was wanted in West Virginia in Tennessee, where he reportedly stole the pistol, according to Humble Police Lt. Eric Squier.

Police initially responded to the mall because the suspect’s girlfriend reported that he pulled a gun on her. The girlfriend was not injured.

“It’s a horrible (tragedy),” Squier said, declining to comment further.

Before the shooting, the Marksberrys were having a “perfect morning,” Megan said. They started their day at Petco, looking at kittens for their 8-year-old son Branson and 3-year-old daughter Kenly.

The New Caney family headed toward Humble for lunch. At the mall entrance, they spotted the gunman running across FM1960, Megan said.

Brian’s last words were “somebody’s got to stop this,” she said.

“He’s always been a hero,” she said. “He’s always put himself out there for anyone who needs him.”

Her husband was a dedicated man, she said.

The couple later this month would have celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary .

During 12 of those years he worked at , Coastal Foundation Drilling Co . In that time, he became a loving father who relished playing baseball with his children.

His daughter had just joined an instructional softball league in New Caney, she said. Meanwhile, Brian helped coach their 8-year-old and multiple other teams in the East Montgomery County Sports Association, she said.

“(Branson) is amazing at baseball and it’s all due to his dad,” Megan said.

Brian’s uncle, Anthony Marksberry, said his nephew’s caring nature was evident since he was a teenager. Years ago, a 17-year-old Brian lived next door to Anthony, whose son suffers from epileptic seizures. During the boy’s first seizure, Brian noticed trouble and jumped a backyard fence. He wanted to make sure his cousin was alright.

“That’s just the way Brian is,” Anthony said.

Megan Marksberry has set up a GoFundMe page, which has already collected more than $14,000, to help the family pay for funeral costs.

“He was my best friend, my soul mate and my entire life,” she said.

julian.gill@chron.com