A Friday night in San Angelo was shattered by the tragic death of 18-year-old Jordan DeLaCruz on February 6, 2026. The incident occurred at the Windmill Apartments in the 1900 block of Raney Street. San Angelo Police were dispatched to the apartment complex around 8:44 p.m. following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered DeLaCruz inside an apartment with a single gunshot wound.
He was rushed to Shannon Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was the result of reckless behavior with a firearm. On the scene, police encountered 19-year-old Norberto Gonzales, a friend of DeLaCruz, who was taken into custody without incident. According to court documents, Gonzales and DeLaCruz were playing with a handgun. The investigation revealed that they were dropping the magazine from the weapon and then dry-firing it at each other. Gonzales told detectives he believed the gun was unloaded when he dropped the magazine. He then pointed the gun at DeLaCruz and pulled the trigger, firing a single round that struck him in the head.
A witness, who was in a dating relationship with Gonzales and lived in the apartment, told investigators that DeLaCruz had stayed the night with them before the incident. She was at work when the shooting occurred and received a video call from a distraught Gonzales around 8:50 p.m., in which he apologized. In the video, she could see DeLaCruz on the living room floor with a head wound. At the scene, investigators found a handgun and a magazine in the hallway of the apartment.
Norberto Gonzales was arrested and has been charged with manslaughter. He was booked into the Tom Green County Jail with his bond set at $75,000. Police have stated that the incident was isolated and there is no ongoing threat to the public. The investigation remains active.
