A 20-year-old Texas man was taken into custody after authorities said shot and killed his 8 month old daughter while having a physical altercation with his baby mother. According to PEOPLE, the two were tussling over a handgun and and the fire arm went off.
Alejandro Martinez was arrested and charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury in connection with the child’s April 12 death. Ruby Mora, 21, was arrested last month and faces the same charges.
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Mora explained the altercation to police and said that she was arguing with Martinez by his car about a gun “he was carrying that belonged to her,” according to the San Antonio Police Department. “[Mora] wanted the firearm back and they began to struggle for the gun while she was carrying [her daughter],” police said.
During the struggle, the firearm went off and struck her daughter in the torso and Mora in the hand, KSAT reported, citing an arrest warrant affidavit.
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Mora and her daughter were taken to the hospital by family members. The baby later died at the hospital. Martinez allegedly fled the scene and was later picked up by police at a motel on May 6, according to KSAT.
It’s unclear if Mora and Martinez have entered pleas or retained attorney, but Neighbors were shocked to hear this news on Thursday.
“There was a lot of chaos, a lot of cops here,” said apartment resident Amanda Cain. “CSI ended up coming. They blocked this parking lot and the parking lot up front.”
Cain said she heard the gunshot come from a nearby building.
“It floors me to even hear that there was a toddler there,” said Cain. “I know it was just a single suspect, but I never saw anybody enter or leave the apartment. We just never know what anybody’s going to do, so it’s really unpredictable.”