The younger sufferer was reportedly recording the prank on his cellphone when he was shot, with police detailing what the footage reveals whereas claiming the boy’s cousin noticed the suspect “slowly stroll again” to his dwelling as he screamed for assist.
New particulars have emerged within the loss of life of an 11-year-old boy who was taking part in “ding dong ditch” together with his cousin when he was shot and killed.
On Tuesday, the Houston Police Division introduced the homicide cost for Gonzalo Leon Jr., 42, who’s accused of killing Julian Guzman round 10:55 p.m. on August 30.
“Officers had been informed that Guzman was ringing doorbells of properties within the space and operating away,” stated police, as TikTok movies of the basic prank have grown in recognition lately. “A witness said Guzman was operating from a home, after ringing the doorbell, simply previous to struggling a gunshot wound.”
Leon made his first courtroom look on Wednesday for a bail listening to, the place he was ordered to be held on $1 million bond. Prosecutors claimed he was a flight danger, per ABC Information, whereas the decide stated the bond was set so excessive because of the chance Leon might have extra critical prices filed towards him later, together with capital homicide.
Houston Police Sgt. Michael Cass additionally spoke with CBS Information in regards to the case on Wednesday, claiming Leon was “ready within the shadows in his personal facet yard behind a fence” earlier than he fired on the boys. In line with police, Guzman and his cousin, 10, bought “bored” at a household occasion and determined to play pranks on neighbors. They allegedly knocked on the suspect’s door thrice inside a 15-minute span — however Guzman was ready for them on the third try.
Video was reportedly recovered from Guzman’s cellphone, as the 2 had been recording their prank.
“I sadly have needed to watch numerous recordings and surveillance of individuals of their final moments,” Harris County District Lawyer Sean Teare stated, per KHOU. “Once you speak about an 11-year-old dying, the place we hear it, that is gonna be simply a number of the most horrific proof that I can think about.”
The video reportedly confirmed Guzman knocking on the door and operating, earlier than gunshots could be heard, adopted by audio of the boy gasping. In line with a prison complain, the cousin stated after the primary gunshot he seemed again on the dwelling and “noticed an individual, who he described as sporting all black, prolong his arm and shoot another time.”
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The cousin additionally claimed Guzman was “asking for assist, believing his legs had been paralyzed” after being shot — and, because the younger witness screamed for assist, he stated he noticed the shooter “slowly stroll again” to the home. “I did not know what to do, however I want I might have completed extra,” the cousin is quoted as telling household.
In the course of the listening to, nonetheless, Leon’s lawyer reportedly steered the boy’s loss of life was a “tragic accident.”
In a earlier press convention over the weekend, by way of ABC Information, Cass stated the boy was shot within the again. “Our witness says the suspect got here out of the door, ran out into the road and was firing down the highway,” he added, saying the sufferer ran for a few block earlier than he collapsed on the street. The boy reportedly lived a few block from the house.
“In my view, it does not seem like any sort of self-defense,” stated Cass, who stated the capturing “wasn’t near the home.”
Leon was later recognized because the suspect, earlier than he was charged with first-degree homicide on Monday and brought into custody by SWAT at a close-by lodge — together with his lawyer saying they went to the lodge because of media consideration across the dwelling.
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