On a tragic Mother's Day, May 10, 2026, the life of 22-year-old Jaborien Cook was cut short in San Angelo, Texas. The young man was attending a social gathering on the 600 block of East 44th Street when an altercation broke out, leading to a fatal shooting in the early morning hours. When San Angelo police responded to reports of the shooting at approximately 1:20 a.m., they discovered a chaotic scene with multiple gunshot victims. Cook, along with a 17-year-old female, had sustained injuries.
Both were transported to Shannon Medical Center for treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Jaborien Cook succumbed to his injuries, leaving a community to mourn his untimely death.
The investigation into the shooting quickly revealed a complex situation with multiple individuals involved. While at the scene, law enforcement received a report of a third gunshot victim who had arrived at the hospital separately. This individual was identified as 21-year-old Zachary Garza. Investigators determined that Garza was also present at the social gathering and had been injured during the same incident that claimed Cook's life. The San Angelo Police Department worked diligently to piece together the events of that morning, leading to the identification of three suspects. Within days of the shooting, three individuals were arrested and charged with murder in connection with Jaborien Cook's death.
The three suspects taken into custody were 18-year-old Nickolai Sanchez, 21-year-old Zachary Garza, who was one of the wounded, and a 16-year-old juvenile whose name has not been publicly released. Following his release from the hospital, Garza was arrested, and Sanchez was apprehended in Amarillo. Both were subsequently booked into the Tom Green County Jail, each held on a million-dollar bond. The juvenile suspect was transported to the Tom Green County Juvenile Justice Center. While some of those involved were reported to have gang affiliations, authorities have not confirmed if the shooting was gang-related. As of late May 2026, the legal proceedings for all three suspects are pending, and the cases remain in the hands of the justice system. The investigation represents the fifth death in San Angelo in 2026 to result in a murder charge, leaving a family and a community awaiting the final outcome of a night that ended in tragedy.
