UPDATED: Two dead following house party gone wrong
Feb. 4—In a new update from Huntsville Police Department, the identity of both deceased victims from the Saturday morning shooting have been released.
The shooting occurred near Avenue O and 19th Street. Cruz Garcia, 18, of Livingston, TX, died Sunday morning at Herman Memorial Hospital in Houston, where he was taken after being shot early Saturday morning. James Jones, 18, of Huntsville, died Saturday morning from injuries he sustained during the same incident.
Two suspects have been arrested on charges related to the shooting. Suspect #1 is 22, and Suspect #2 is 19, both of Livingston. They were taken into custody at the Huntsville Police Department Saturday afternoon. Suspect #1 was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, a second-degree felony, while Suspect #2 was charged with Assault, a class A misdemeanor. Detectives anticipate pursuing further charges as the investigation continues. Suspect #2 is being held on a $50,000 dollar bond, while Suspect #1 is being held on a $250,000 dollar bond.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Huntsville Police Department strongly urges anyone with information to contact Sgt. John Thompson at 936-291-5427. Detectives are particularly interested in speaking to anyone who attended the party that can provide any information.
Editor's Note: Names of the suspects are being withheld until the investigation is complete and formal charges picked up by the courts. The Item parent company, CNHI, has policies naming suspects without formal charges by the courts.
Update at 8:30 p.m. Assistant Chief of Police Jim Barnes confirmed that two suspects have been arrested in conjunction with the shooting. No further details were made available.
Update at 1:25 p.m.:
Assistant Chief of Police Jim Barnes said that another person has died from gunshot injuries at the incident. Police are still seeking details regarding persons of interest. The identities of the two deceased individuals will not be released until authorities have made the proper notifications.
Update at 10:30 a.m.:
On Saturday, February 4, at 12:38 a.m., Huntsville Police Department officers responded to a shooting at a large house party near 19th Street and Avenue O. According to the HPD press release, when officers arrived, multiple victims were located, and lifesaving efforts immediately began.
Walker County EMS, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, Sam Houston State University police officers, and deputies from the Walker County Sheriff's Office also responded to assist in this effort.
Four victims were located at the scene, and all were transported to area hospitals for treatment. One of the victims eventually succumbed to their injuries and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The other three victims were listed in critical condition.
Investigators are looking to identify two individuals in connection with the shooting. The suspects photos were posted to the Huntsville Police Department's Facebook page and they strongly urge anyone with information to contact Sgt. John Thompson at 936-291-5427. Names of the victims are being withheld at this time until proper notification to their families can be made.
The Huntsville Police Department (HPD) is actively investigating a shooting in the 1500 block of Avenue O that resulted in one dead and multiple gunshot victims.
According to Assistant Chief of Police Jim Barnes, HPD investigators are gathering information regarding a large party at a home where a fight broke out around 1 a.m.
"More than one person produced a gun and opened fire," said Barnes. "As a result, one person is dead and there are multiple gunshot victims in varying states of medical conditions."
Barnes said police are still working on gathering more information and more details will be released later.
"The is a tragic, sad situation. We are praying for everyone involved," Barnes said.
A notice was sent in compliance with The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Statistics Act by Sam Houston State University's KatSafe notification system at 2:49 a.m. Saturday.
At approximately 1:11 a.m. today, Sam Houston State University Police received notification of multiple shots reported off-campus in the 1500 block of 19th Street, Huntsville.
The alert advised staff and students to avoid the area surrounding Avenue O and 19th Street.
If you have any information regarding this crime, please contact Huntsville Police Department at 936-291-5480 or 936-435-8001 after hours. Anonymous tips are also accepted by the Walker County/Huntsville Crime Stoppers hotline at (936) 294-9494.
Crime Prevention Tip: If you see something, say something. Report any suspicious activity to the University Police Department.
The University Police Department is a 24/7 full-service state law enforcement agency.
