Affidavit: Man told police Manor parking lot shooting was in ‘self-defense’
MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — After a deadly shooting in the Manor Walmart parking lot last week, the man accused of murder told police the shooting was in “self-defense,” according to court documents obtained by KXAN.
An arrest affidavit for Juan Acuna Gaona, 26, of Manor detailed the events that led up to the shooting. Luis Frias-Hernandez, 19, of Elgin was identified by Manor police as the man who died in the shooting.
Manor Police arrest suspect, identify victim in Walmart parking lot shooting
According to the affidavit, the Manor Police Department got an anonymous tip stating that their employee had called “screaming” that her boyfriend killed someone in Manor. The caller identified the employee, and police interviewed her.
The woman told police that her new boyfriend — Acuna Gaona — shot and killed someone in the Manor Walmart parking lot, according to the affidavit. She told police he was dropping her off at her car so she could drive home when a white truck parked next to them.
The affidavit said the woman told police the driver of the truck got out and moved what appeared to be a heavy black trash bag, then got back in the truck and started driving around the parking lot “erratically.”
Acuna Gaona’s attorney provided a statement to KXAN on Monday.
On December 14, 2023, Juan Acuna-Gaona was involved in an altercation in the Walmart parking lot in Manor, Texas. Juan and his girlfriend were attacked without provocation, and Juan resorted to the use of deadly force. Juan’s use of force was fully justified under Texas law to protect himself and his girlfriend. The same day, Juan turned himself in to the Manor Police Department, surrendered his firearm, and gave a full, complete, and honest statement recounting the events which led to the shooting. Juan’s girlfriend also gave a statement to law enforcement. Juan and I have faith in the criminal justice system. Juan will continue to cooperate with law enforcement and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. We believe that after a careful & thorough investigation, everyone will realize that Juan was justified in using deadly force to defend his girlfriend and himself.
Charlie Baird, attorney at law
The attorney said Acuna Gaona will have a bond reduction hearing Wednesday morning.
According to the affidavit, she said the truck then drove onto the curb/landscape area in front of her and Acuna Gaona’s vehicles and parked, then got out of the truck and started walking toward her car. At this time, the woman was sitting in the driver’s seat of her car and Gaona was standing at the driver’s side window, the affidavit noted.
The woman told police she legally possesses a firearm and keeps it in her car, and she got it out because she was scared, according to the affidavit. She said Acuna Gaona also had a gun and got it out.
The affidavit said the woman also told police she thought she saw something she believed to be a gun in Frias-Hernandez’s hand when he got out of his truck, but the affidavit noted that no firearms were located on the scene.
The woman said as Hernandez walked toward them, Acuna Gaona began shooting at him, the affidavit said. The woman told police Hernandez still took a step toward them after being shot, so Gaona kept shooting.
According to the affidavit, the woman could not fully identify Acuna Gaona because they had only been dating for two weeks and met on a dating app, but she gave police photos and a phone number.
Police were able to identify Acuna Gaona through phone records, and video at Walmart corroborated the woman’s narrative, the affidavit said.
Police then talked to Acuna Gaona over the phone and he confirmed his involvement in the shooting, and he said he would provide a statement as it was “self-defense,” the affidavit said.
Acuna Gaona was taken into custody by the Manor Police Department and transported to Travis County Central Booking on Friday.
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