1 dead, multiple people injured in shooting near Fort Worth Stockyards, police say
A teenager celebrating his birthday died and several other people were injured in a shooting near the Fort Worth Stockyards early Sunday morning, authorities said.
Officers were dispatched about 3 a.m. Oct. 6 to a parking lot in the 100 block of NW 24th Street, between its intersections with North Main Street and Ellis Avenue, a Fort Worth police spokesperson said.
One victim died at the scene. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office identified him as 18-year-old Joseph Steven Padilla, a high school senior from Weatherford. Padilla’s 18th birthday was on Oct. 5 and he was reportedly out celebrating with friends when he was shot.
Four victims were transported to hospitals, including one in critical condition, one in serious condition and two with minor injuries, according to officials with MedStar. Police said one victim was taken to a hospital in a private vehicle.
The wounded victims are expected to survive.
One suspect in the case has been arrested, according to police records. Kevin Aguilar, 19, was booked into the city jail shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday and faces a murder charge. As of Tuesday morning, he was being held in the Tarrant County Jail and bond had not been set.
An employee at a nearby business told KTVT-TV that the parking lot where the shooting occurred is a common site for fights and underage drinking.
“They can’t really drink in the bars,” said Emily Mathe, who works at White Raven Tattoo Studio. “So they’ll be tailgating and drinking in the parking lots.”
Investigators said that at least one shooter is believed to have fired into a crowd in the parking lot, but they have not described a motive for the shooting or said who the intended target was.
Homicide detectives are leading the investigation.
Padilla was a senior at Weatherford High. Weatherford ISD notified high school parents and staff on Sunday of Padilla’s death, a district spokesperson told the Star-Telegram. On Monday morning Oct. 7, Weatherford High School Principal Bill Tommaney notified students.
The district said counseling services are available for students, parents and school staff.
The shooting was one of several in the city in the past week that had multiple victims. On Saturday Oct. 5, two men were shot, one fatally, after an argument in the 3200 block of Las Vegas Trail, in west Fort Worth.
In a separate incident Saturday, three people were wounded when someone shot at their vehicle while they were driving on Interstate 35W, police said.
On Thursday night Oct. 3, two people were shot in a vehicle in the 3100 block of Wesleyan Drive South after they left a party. One man died.
And two more people were shot, one fatally, during an altercation early Friday morning Oct. 4 in the 7400 block of Kingswood Circle in southwest Fort Worth.
On Tuesday night Oct. 1, two people were injured in a drive-by shooting in the 3900 block of Golden Horn Lane, in south Fort Worth.
This story was originally published October 6, 2024 at 11:39 AM.
