A Houston man has been charged with murder after shooting and killing 11-year-old Julian Guzman while he was out playing a “ding-dong ditch” prank with his cousin (as children do) on Saturday night. The boy had left a family birthday party down the street and had grown bored with the gathering, prompting both boys to prank neighbors by knocking and running.

According to the juvenile witness statement, the boys had targeted one blue house several times in their little prank. After one knock, the boys began to run away and said they heard a gunshot. The witness said that the man originally fired “once into the ground,” and then he raised the gun and fired again in their direction. That second shot hit Julian in the back.

The boy fell down and yelled for help. His cousin tried to drag him away while yelling for help. A neighbor ran over to help the boy, but Julian’s injuries were consistent with being fatally wounded. He was sent to the hospital and pronounced dead the next day.

Arrest and Weapons Found

Gonzalo Leon Jr
The suspect is 42-yr-old, Gonzalo Leon Jr.

The man who was arrested is 42-year-old Gonzalo Leon Jr. He was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Harris County jail. According to court documents, officers were dispatched to his home and utilized the PA system on their patrol vehicles to request he exit the house. He exited the house about 20 minutes later and did not speak to the officers but asked for a lawyer instead.

The officers saw a slew of weapons in the house; almost 20 firearms in total which included AR- 15 style rifles, shotguns, pistols, and a safe found containing additional firearms. His wife told investigators dad and Leon were home with their toddler daughter at the time of the shooting.

A Community Coping with Shock

Houston residents have expressed uncertainty and angst surrounding Julian Guzman’s shooting. The ease with which deadly force was utilized against a child who was being a child has certainly rattled the community. The boys had played ding-dong-ditch several times that night according to police, but the fact that it could land one dead has horrified many.

As the investigation unfolds, there are questions about what level of threat Leon believed he was facing, why he thought he needed to arm himself, and his actions were legally justified. Leon’s legal counsel has not yet been established.