Police charge teens with killing 15-year-old, injuring 3-year-old in Garland shooting, officials say​on April 20, 2025 at 2:46 pm

GARLAND, Texas — Garland Police arrested two teens in connection with a shooting that left one dead and three others, including a 3-year-old, injured Friday night, police say. 

According to a news release from the Garland Police Department, officers responded to the Casa Del Mar apartments in the 3800 block of West Walnut around 6:30 p.m. to the report of a gunshot wound. 

Upon arrival, police said officers learned that a 3-year-old, a 15-year-old, a 19-year-old, and a 42-year-old had been shot. All victims were taken to the hospital, police said. 

According to Garland police, the 15-year-old was pronounced dead at the hospital. 

Diana Valdez said her mother, 42-year-old Erika Esquivel, and her 3-year-old brother, Christopher Guzman, were among the four people shot.

“It was scary, there were cops everywhere,” Valdez said. “My 8-year-old brother gave me a call around 6:30 p.m., and he was just telling me that my mom and the baby got shot.”

 Valdez said the 15-year-old who died was a family friend.

The 3-year-old and 42-year-old victims have since been released from the hospital, police said in a release Sunday morning. The 19-year-old remains hospitalized, police said. 

“Who in their right mind is going to just randomly come, midday, while the sun’s out, and pull a gun out?” said Valdez.

Valdez said her mother and siblings were setting up for Easter outside when the shooting began. Valdez said her mom jumped on top of her younger brother to shield him from gunfire. Erika was shot in the hand, and the 3-year-old was hit in both legs.

Despite his injuries, Valdez said her brother is expected to walk again.

“It wasn’t until I saw them that I was like, okay…y’all are here. That’s all that mattered.”

Two 16-year-olds were arrested Sunday in connection with the shooting, police said in a press release. Police withheld the suspect’s names due to their age, the release states. 

Both teens were charged with one count of murder and three counts of aggravated assault-serious bodily injury, police said. 

“We have quite a bit of physical evidence. We have lots of witnesses we’re talking to,” said Captain Patrick McCully with Garland PD. “We’re not going to rest until we find out every aspect to what happened.”

For Diana, justice can’t come soon enough.

“If they had the guts to come and pull out a gun, they have the guts to pay for their consequences,” she said.

The family has created a GoFundMe to help cover unexpected medical expenses. 

This is a developing story. WFAA will update this article with the latest information.