Early on Monday morning, January 13, 2025, at approximately 1:23 AM, Texas City Police officers responded to a weapons offense at a home in the 300 block of 10th Avenue North. Upon arrival, the initial assessment was that one individual had died inside the home, it turned out to be two.
The investigation revealed that the fatal incident involved a 15-year-old juvenile who accidentally discharged a firearm, fatally shooting his 17-year-old brother, Joshua Gonzales. Joshua, a junior at Texas City High School, had been a player for the varsity football team this year.
While attempting to administer lifesaving measures, the victim’s father, Julian “Jay” Gonzales, tragically suffered a fatal medical episode and passed away. Julian worked as a tattoo artist at Artistic Image Tattoo Studio in Texas City.
The Texas City Independent School District (ISD) released a statement expressing their grief: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students, and our thoughts are with the family and all those who cared for them during this difficult time. The well-being of our students and staff is our top priority, and we have made counselors available to provide support to anyone who needs help processing their grief. Together, we will work to support our school community as we navigate this loss.”
The 15-year-old has been questioned by detectives and was released pending further investigation. The Texas City Police Department has stated that more details will be provided once the district attorney’s office has completed its review of the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing.
