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Circle K shooting in South-Central El Paso wounds dad trying to keep son away from gang

El Paso Times - 1/4/2022

A dad trying to keep his son away from gangs was shot in a confrontation outside a Circle K store in South-Central El Paso, a prosecutor said.

El Paso police arrested the suspected shooter, Anthony Garcia, 20, an alleged gang member who was out on bond awaiting trial in a separate shooting two years ago.

George Brandon Lopez, 21, who was charged with Garcia in the 2020 case, was also arrested in the Circle K shooting investigated by the police Gang Unit. Police officials have not disclosed if there have been additional arrests.

During a Sunday teleconference bond hearing, Assistant District Attorney John Briggs detailed the incident resulting in a man rushed to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the leg.

Garcia was out on bond "running around with his gang buddies with guns, shooting people," Briggs said at the hearing.

A man was shot when he and his son were allegedly confronted by gang members on the afternoon of Dec. 28 outside the Circle K at 5040 E. Paisano Drive near Fox Plaza.

The gang had been repeatedly harassing the man's son and had recently broken the windows to the father's car, said Briggs, citing police documents.

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The harassment stemmed from years ago when the son and Garcia were in a "peewee gang" together, Briggs said. The dad, an ex-member of Los Fatherless street gang who did not want his son following a negative path, had pulled him away from the youth gang.

Garcia allegedly went on to join the Sherman street gang and is now reputedly a member of the Chuco Tango prison-based gang, Briggs said at the hearing.

When father and son went to the Circle K store, they were allegedly confronted outside by Garcia and four other gang members "waving guns around and throwing gang signs," Briggs said.

During the confrontation, Garcia allegedly shot the father in the leg, who stumbled into the store as a second shot was fired but missed. A gun was also allegedly pointed at the son who was inside a vehicle, Briggs said.

The wounded man was rushed by vehicle to the emergency room at University Medical Center of El Paso a few blocks away.

Garcia, who a defense lawyer said is a student at Jefferson High School, and Lopez were arrested by police a few days later on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity-aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and engaging in organized criminal activity-aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

It wasn't the first time Garcia and Lopez were arrested in connection with a shooting.

In September 2020, the pair were allegedly involved in a shooting during an illegal gun sale at an apartment complex on Frank Valdez Drive near Ascarate Park, Briggs said.

Stray shots hit a car, walls and a bystander in the leg who was out walking. One bullet hit a bedroom wall inches above where two children, ages 2 and 8, were sleeping, police said.

Garcia and Lopez were each arrested on two counts of deadly conduct and an aggravated assault charge.

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They both eventually bonded out of jail while awaiting trial. Garcia was released on a $100,000 surety bond in June 2021, according to jail records.

In the bond hearing, Briggs pointed out that the men shouldn't have been hanging out together on condition of their bonds.

Bond had been set at $100,000 on each charge in connection the Circle K shooting.

After listening to the prosecution during Garcia's bond hearing, Magistrate Judge Penny Hamilton made the unusual move of raising his bond amount to $500,000 on each charge.

Lopez's bond remains at $100,000 for each count, according to a jail log. Garcia and Lopez remain held at the El Paso County Jail in Downtown.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at 915-546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.

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