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Man Accused of Murder in Texas Shooting Is Released From Jail Man Accused of Murder in Texas Shooting Is Released From Jail
(about 3 hours later)
A 23-year-old man who was charged with capital murder in connection with a mass shooting at a homecoming party in Texas last month was released from jail on Tuesday after the authorities said new evidence undermined the case against him, according to jail records and local news reports.A 23-year-old man who was charged with capital murder in connection with a mass shooting at a homecoming party in Texas last month was released from jail on Tuesday after the authorities said new evidence undermined the case against him, according to jail records and local news reports.
The man, Brandon Ray Gonzales, 23, was arrested the day after the Oct. 27 shooting, which left two people dead and at least 14 others injured at a crowded party hall near Greenville, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas.The man, Brandon Ray Gonzales, 23, was arrested the day after the Oct. 27 shooting, which left two people dead and at least 14 others injured at a crowded party hall near Greenville, about 50 miles northeast of Dallas.
Mr. Gonzales had been held with bail set at $1 million.Mr. Gonzales had been held with bail set at $1 million.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Randy Meeks of the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office told The Dallas Morning News in a statement that he had recommended that prosecutors drop the charges against Mr. Gonzales, citing “lack of cooperation from witnesses and discovery of exculpatory evidence during the course of the investigation.”On Tuesday, Sheriff Randy Meeks of the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office told The Dallas Morning News in a statement that he had recommended that prosecutors drop the charges against Mr. Gonzales, citing “lack of cooperation from witnesses and discovery of exculpatory evidence during the course of the investigation.”
The Hunt County Sheriff’s Department and district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday evening and Wednesday.The Hunt County Sheriff’s Department and district attorney’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday evening and Wednesday.
It’s unclear whether there were any other suspects in the shooting.It’s unclear whether there were any other suspects in the shooting.
“He was released because they have absolutely no evidence connecting him to that heinous crime,” Andrew W. Wilkerson, Mr. Gonzales’s lawyer, said on Wednesday.“He was released because they have absolutely no evidence connecting him to that heinous crime,” Andrew W. Wilkerson, Mr. Gonzales’s lawyer, said on Wednesday.
Evidence in support of Mr. Gonzales’s innocence, including witnesses who saw him sitting in his car when shots were fired at the party, among other details, were made available to the sheriff’s department, Mr. Wilkerson said.Evidence in support of Mr. Gonzales’s innocence, including witnesses who saw him sitting in his car when shots were fired at the party, among other details, were made available to the sheriff’s department, Mr. Wilkerson said.
“It was just a multitude and a momentous amount of evidence that they just simply ignored,” Mr. Wilkerson said, adding that the authorities “wanted to please society and the public and they just picked somebody and arrested him.”“It was just a multitude and a momentous amount of evidence that they just simply ignored,” Mr. Wilkerson said, adding that the authorities “wanted to please society and the public and they just picked somebody and arrested him.”
After his release from jail on Tuesday, Mr. Gonzales spoke at an evening news conference outside the sheriff’s office, saying he was sitting in a car when the shooting occurred. He said being in jail had killed his “whole personality.”After his release from jail on Tuesday, Mr. Gonzales spoke at an evening news conference outside the sheriff’s office, saying he was sitting in a car when the shooting occurred. He said being in jail had killed his “whole personality.”
“I heard people come through as I was in my cell, saying ‘Hey, that’s the shooter, that’s the shooter,’” he said. “It killed me because that’s not who I am. That’s not who I’ve ever been.”“I heard people come through as I was in my cell, saying ‘Hey, that’s the shooter, that’s the shooter,’” he said. “It killed me because that’s not who I am. That’s not who I’ve ever been.”
The murder charges against Mr. Gonzales should be dropped soon, Mr. Wilkerson said, adding that there are also plans to file a civil suit against the county.The murder charges against Mr. Gonzales should be dropped soon, Mr. Wilkerson said, adding that there are also plans to file a civil suit against the county.
The shooting at the hall — called the Party Venue — took place a little after midnight on Oct. 27 during a Texas A&M University-Commerce homecoming party that had not been sanctioned by the school, officials said.The shooting at the hall — called the Party Venue — took place a little after midnight on Oct. 27 during a Texas A&M University-Commerce homecoming party that had not been sanctioned by the school, officials said.
Sheriff’s deputies were already responding to a complaint about attendees at the party parking their cars illegally on the shoulder of Highway 380 when a gunman opened fire on partygoers, the authorities had said.Sheriff’s deputies were already responding to a complaint about attendees at the party parking their cars illegally on the shoulder of Highway 380 when a gunman opened fire on partygoers, the authorities had said.
The victims killed in the attack were Kevin Berry Jr. of Dallas, and Byron Craven Jr. of Arlington, Tex., both 23, according to a spokesman for the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office.The victims killed in the attack were Kevin Berry Jr. of Dallas, and Byron Craven Jr. of Arlington, Tex., both 23, according to a spokesman for the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office.
After a manhunt that lasted nearly 24 hours, Mr. Gonzales was arrested at his workplace, a local auto dealership.After a manhunt that lasted nearly 24 hours, Mr. Gonzales was arrested at his workplace, a local auto dealership.
Mr. Gonzales’s family and other activists had protested his arrest and claimed Mr. Gonzales was innocent.Mr. Gonzales’s family and other activists had protested his arrest and claimed Mr. Gonzales was innocent.
Derrick Bryson Taylor contributed reporting.