Downtown New Braunfels briefly turned into a crime scene early Sunday after a drive-by shooting near Main Plaza left three people wounded and forced police to shut down several blocks. By the end of the night, a 25-year-old local man was in the county jail and all three victims were reported to be in stable condition.
What Happened
Officers were called around 12:45 a.m. Sunday to the 100 block of North Seguin Avenue for reports of multiple shots fired, according to News4SanAntonio. Investigators say the suspect got into a vehicle, opened fire on two men he had just been in a physical fight with, then sped off into the night.
The gunfire sent bar-goers scrambling and prompted officers to cordon off streets around the Main Plaza area while they searched for shell casings, witnesses and surveillance footage, police said.
Victims And Hospitals
Three people were hit in the shooting, including a woman who police say had nothing to do with the earlier fight. A 25-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were taken to Ascension Seton Hays Hospital in Kyle, while a 27-year-old man was transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, KSAT reported.
All three were last listed in stable condition, according to the station.
Suspect In Custody
Police identified the suspected shooter as 25-year-old New Braunfels resident Josiah Anthony Arevalo. Officers made contact with him later and he turned himself in without further incident, News4SanAntonio reported.
Arevalo was booked into the Comal County Jail on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities said additional charges could be filed as the case develops.
Investigation And Legal Fallout
Investigators believe the two men involved in the earlier altercation were the intended targets and that the 25-year-old woman was an uninvolved bystander who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, KSAT reported. The case remains under active investigation.
Under Texas law, aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon is charged under Section 22.02 of the Penal Code and is typically prosecuted as a second-degree felony, although penalties can be enhanced in some situations, according to the Texas Penal Code.
How To Help
Police are still piecing together what happened in the minutes leading up to the shooting. Anyone with information, photos or video is asked to contact the New Braunfels Police Department at (830) 221-4100 or follow the reporting guidance from the City of New Braunfels. NBPD said it plans to release additional details as the investigation moves forward.
