An early-morning shooting on San Antonio's West Side left a 16-year-old dead and an 18-year-old facing a manslaughter charge after police say a gun accidentally fired inside a vehicle along Loop 1604.
Officers were called around 4:50 a.m. Monday to the 3000 block of Loop 1604 westbound near Wiseman Boulevard, where they found the teen with an upper-body gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead. Court records identify the suspect as 18-year-old Luis Garza III, who was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center and held on a $40,000 bond.
San Antonio police told KSAT that investigators determined the gun "accidentally went off" and struck the 16-year-old. According to the station's reporting, Garza was arrested at or near the scene and charged with manslaughter, with court documents listing his bond at $40,000. Police have not released additional details about how the weapon was being handled or whether anyone else was involved.
What the Manslaughter Charge Means
KSAT reported that court records describe the manslaughter count as a first-degree felony, although state law generally classifies manslaughter as a felony of the second degree under Texas Penal Code Section 19.04. That statute defines manslaughter as recklessly causing the death of an individual, and the state's penalty chart typically places a second-degree felony at two to 20 years in prison. For the statutory language see the Texas Penal Code, and for the penalty ranges consult the Texas Attorney General.
Unintentional Shootings and Youth
Unintentional shootings make up a relatively small share of overall gun deaths, yet cases like this hit especially hard when they involve children and teenagers and unsecured firearms. Advocacy and research groups have long pointed to easy access to unattended guns as a common thread in many accidental shootings. Organizations such as Giffords and Everytown urge safe-storage practices as a key step to reducing these deaths and injuries.
The case remains under active investigation, and prosecutors will ultimately decide how the charge proceeds. Court dockets and jail records list Garza as booked on the manslaughter charge and held on bond, according to KSAT. This report will be updated as officials release more information and as additional court filings become public.
