2 suspects in Como killings admit shooting into crowd but not at victims, affidavits say
The two murder suspects who were arrested in the July 3 Como mass shooting admitted to police that they fired their guns toward a crowd, but said they did not intend to kill the three victims who died, according to their arrest warrant affidavits.
Three people were killed and eight others were injured when shots were fired into the crowd of hundreds of people in a parking lot during an afterparty following the July 4 weekend celebration ComoFest.
Police pored over video recordings to identify the assailants and relied on the expertise of officers familiar with gang members in the city.
On July 7, Fort Worth police announced that two suspects were arrested. Brandon Williams, 19, and Christopher Redic Jr., 20, are charged with murder in the killings of 18-year-old Paul Willis, who was pronounced dead at the scene, and 22-year-old Cynthia Santos and 18-year-old Gabriella Navarette, who both died at a hospital.
According to Fort Worth City cameras and Como Food Mart surveillance video obtained by police, several people had firearms while walking in the 3400 block of Horne Street. There was a “large group” standing in the parking lot of Como Food Mart and “hundreds upon hundreds” of people along Horne Street, according to the arrest warrant affidavits obtained Wednesday by the Star-Telegram.
There were multiple bullet casings found in multiple areas surrounding the block party near the Como Food Mart, located at 3417 Horne St., police said.
A small group of people got into a fight with one person just before shots were fired, police wrote in the affidavits.
The same group, who were standing just north of the Como Food Mart, started the shooting, according to the warrants.
Close-up pictures of two gunman who started the shooting were obtained by police and were identified as Williams and Redic, investigators said. Police also identified a witness who was with the group of people who started the shooting, according to the affidavits.
The witness told police that Williams, Redic, and two other men he referred to as “Kevo” and Tavio — also referred to as “Tae Tae” — went to the celebration.
The witness told police in an interview that Williams got into an argument with a man named “JoJo” who previously shot up Williams’ mother’s car. The witness said that all the men had guns except himself. He saw Tavio punch “Jojo” and Williams began to shoot, according to the affidavits.
The witness began to run after he saw Williams fire his gun twice, and then he heard more shots, he told police.
Williams told police in an interview that “Jojo” threatened to kill him in the past and they began to argue. He told police that after “Jojo” was punched by Tavio, “Jojo” began stumbling and Williams began to shoot.
Williams told police that he was the first person to shoot, firing his 9 millimeter handgun. He said he shot at least four times in the direction of “Jojo,” according to the warrants.
Williams also told police that he was aware that there were a lot of people behind and around “Jojo” but said he did not intend to shoot anyone else.
Redic also admitted to police in a recorded statement that he had a gun and shot it about six times after he heard gunshots, according to the affidavits. He told police that when he fired his gun he was aiming above the crowd of people, and therefore he didn’t believe that he shot anyone.
Redic shot a .40 caliber Glock at the scene of the shooting and told police he would try to get the firearm back from his cousin and turn it in to police.
Fort Worth police said in a press conference that they believed the shooting was gang-related. It is unknown if Williams and Redic ever lived in Como, but court records show home addresses for them in other parts of the city.
City officials have had discussions with neighborhood residents about how to keep outsiders with bad intentions away from the annual afterparty, according to Police Chief Neil Noakes.
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 5:05 PM.
