15-year-old accidentally shoots, kills brother, Texas cops say. Then their dad dies

A 17-year-old boy and his father both died when a shooting led to a fatal medical incident, Texas authorities say.

The Texas City Police Department said a 15-year-old boy accidentally shot his 17-year-old brother early Jan. 13 inside a home.

The older teen, identified as Joshua Gonzales, died as a result of the shooting, according to police.

Authorities said the tragedy intensified when their father, Julian “Jay” Gonzales, “suffered a fatal medical episode” while trying to save his son.

“There was only one ambulance here,” family friend Ashley Valdez told The Daily News in Galveston. “They pulled out the dad. I could see them trying to do CPR, but I guess the shock — they said he had a heart attack because that was his son. They were best friends.”

Charges have not been filed against the 15-year-old as of Jan. 14, authorities said. He was questioned by detectives and released.

In a statement to KHOU, the Texas City Independent School District said the 17-year-old victim was a student in the district, saying it was “devastated” by his death.

Joshua Gonzales was studying to become a tattoo artist like his father, according to The Daily News. He also rapped under the alias DJ Sexy Gordo.

Jay Gonzales, who according to KRIV owned Artistic Image Tattoo Studio in Texas City, often highlighted his tattoo artistry on his Facebook page.

His business partner, Mero Salazar, told KRIV that Gonzales was a single father who devoted his life to his sons. The station reported loved ones are now “deeply concerned” for the 15-year-old.

“All that trauma and pain, and questions, and ‘what if’, and guilt, and blaming himself, and all that even though it was just a mere accident,” Salazar said.

Texas City is about a 45-mile drive southeast from Houston.

This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 8:51 AM with the headline "15-year-old accidentally shoots, kills brother, Texas cops say. Then their dad dies."