Boy shows killings of 3 relatives and 2 dogs on social media, and Texas cops close in

A boy killed his family and posted grisly photos of the crime on social media Wednesday, sending authorities rushing to a Texas RV park, Aransas Pass police said.

In addition to sharing proof of the killings online, the boy threatened to target an area school next, according to police. Other users on the social media site alerted Aransas Pass Police Department, and “sensing the urgency,” officers began investigating immediately, a Thursday news release said.

Aransas Pass is situated just northeast of Corpus Christi, along the Texas gulf.

Aransas police, alongside other local law enforcement, soon closed in on the RV where the suspect was living. They told the boy to step outside but he refused, police said.

“The officers heard a single gunshot and the thud of a person falling to the ground,” the release said.

Officers then entered the home, “finding the graphic scene shared over social media,” four bodies and two dead dogs. The suspect died “from a gunshot wound,” police said. The names of the deceased were not released.

Aransas police thanked Ingleside PD and the San Patricio County Sheriff’s Office for their help, as well as members of the public for stepping forward.

“This team effort worked swiftly to end this very valid threat. Last, but even more importantly, we appreciate the social media website and the other juveniles within the group where the threat was made,” the department said. “Had it not been for their speedy action and continued support, we might well have been working on an even more tragic event later this morning.”

This story was originally published September 16, 2021 at 9:58 AM.