A Texas teen was accidentally shot and killed by his younger brother, and their father died of a heart attack soon after while trying to help.
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The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Jan. 13 at a home in Texas City, just outside Houston, as reported by local outlets Fox26 and Click 2 Houston.
Texas City Police reported that a 15-year-old boy accidentally shot his 17-year-old brother, Joshua Gonzales, at their home around 1 a.m. In a tragic turn of events, their father, Julian Gonzales, tried desperately to save his dying son but suffered a fatal medical episode during the ordeal.
“The 15-year-old was questioned by detectives and has been released pending additional investigation,” police explained. “Further details will be provided by the Texas City Police Department once the district attorney’s office has completed its review of the incident.”
Julian, affectionately known as Jay by his friends, was a popular tattoo artist. he was also the proud owner of Artistic Image, a studio based in Texas City.
Community Mourns the Loss of Father Who Suffered a Fatal Heart Attack Following His Son’s Fatal Shooting
Melo Salazar, Julian’s business partner, said he remains deeply shaken by pal’s passing.
“I lost a brother, my business partner… a good man. I lost a lot,” he told Fox26. “He’s never going to be here. I’m going to be here, and it’s going to be empty. It’s not going to be the same. It ain’t going to be fun anymore.”
“I’ve known Jay at least 25 years. He is family,” he continued. He’s always going to be family. That’s never going to change. Blood couldn’t make us any closer. He wasn’t my blood family, but he was my brother.”
Melo also speculated on what caused Julian’s heart attack.
“All that trauma and pain, and questions, and ‘what if,’ and guilt, and blaming himself, and all that even though it was just a mere accident,” he said. “[Julian] was all about those boys. He was a single father. So, he did a lot for them. Everything was for them.”
According to KHOU, the Texas City Independent School District confirmed in a statement that Joshua was enrolled as a student in their district.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students,” the district wrote in the statement. “Our thoughts are with the family and all those who cared for them during this difficult time.”