EL PASO, Texas – A Texas shopper who was “licensed-to-carry” shot a gunman who reportedly killed one person and wounded two or three others as groups fought at the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso Wednesday night.
The unidentified suspect was described as a 16-year-old Hispanic male. The citizen who shot the suspect along with an off-duty police officer provided medical aid to the gunman before he was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition, the El Paso Times reported.
Angeles Zaragoza, 17, was shot and killed by the suspect, the El Paso Police Department said on Friday. Officials did not release the name of the suspect or the other teens involved in the deadly confrontation. However, they said Zaragoza was with a group consisting of another 17-year-old male, a 17-year-old female, a 16-year-old male, a 14-year-old male and a 14-year-old female when they got into a heated exchange with another group around 5 p.m. near the food court at the mall.
The other group consisted of the shooting suspect, another 16-year-old male, a 17-year-old male, a 15-year-old male, and a 20-year-old man, according to the news outlet.
El Paso police said that a “licensed-to-carry” bystander shot the gunman who is believed to be responsible for the homicide as well as wounding others. They said that shooting erupted when the verbal confrontation turned into a “physical fight,” and Zaragoza was subsequently shot and killed. Moreover, the 17-year-old male with Zaragoza’s group was seriously wounded and the 20-year-old man who was with the accused shooter’s group also sustained a gunshot wound. There were conflicting reports about a 15-year-old also suffering a gunshot wound.
Law enforcement authorities identified Emanuel Duran, 32, as the licensed carry holder who opened fire as the suspect aimed his weapon at a group of bystanders, Fox News reported.
“As soon as the shooting ended, the 16-year-old suspect began to run and was pointing the gun towards the direction of bystanders, including 32-year-old Emanuel Duran, a Licensed to Carry Holder. As the suspect ran towards Duran and bystanders, Duran drew his handgun and shot the suspect,” according to a police statement.
An off-duty El Paso police officer who was working security at the mall arrived at the area of the shooting and helped Duran render aid to the suspect and the others who suffered injuries, EPPD said.
The handgun used by the shooting suspect had been stolen, KFOX 14 reported.
“It is always concerning when a 16-year-old has a stolen handgun and fires a weapon inside of a crowded mall. It’s very concerning, it’s very disturbing actually,” El Paso police Sgt. Robert Gomez said.
Police said they are continuing to investigate and that charges are pending against the 16-year old accused shooter.
“One person is dead so the likely charge will be murder, it’s not official but that would be the appropriate charge. And the other suspects that were injured by gunfire, the appropriate charge would be aggravated assault, but again, until they are officially charged he is just a suspect,” said Gomez.
The 16-year-old suspect remained in stable condition on Friday.
University Medical Center confirmed two males who were injured in the shooting are in critical, but stable condition.
Local news outlet KFOX 14 also reported that another victim was taken to Del Sol Medical Center and is listed in good condition.
According to Investigators, there were “at least” two more people who were legally armed at the scene, but were not involved in the shooting.
Texas has a constitutional carry gun law that allows legal residents 21 and older to carry concealed weapons.
