Man seen firing rifle from Dallas bridge on New Year's Eve now facing federal gun charge, authorities say
Federal authorities now say one of the men allegedly seen firing an AR‑style rifle from the Margaret McDermott Bridge on New Year's Eve has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing a firearm while in the United States without legal status.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, the man, identified as Jose Raul Alarcon Sanchez, is accused of appearing in the viral video and was charged after investigators tied him to numerous shell casings found on the bridge. Prosecutors allege that Alarcon Sanchez and another individual took turns filming each other while they fired rifles over the interstate, at a time when traffic was stopped just after midnight.
Police previously reported recovering more than 100 shell casings on and beneath the bridge. Authorities say that during a subsequent search of Alarcon Sanchez's vehicle, officers found live rounds and an AK‑47‑style rifle. Later, during a Jan. 28 search of his home, federal agents reported locating several additional firearms - including three AR‑15‑style pistols - and determined that one of them matched ballistic evidence collected from the New Year's Eve shooting.
Investigators also say Alarcon Sanchez entered the country on a temporary visa in 2025 and remained after it expired.
A court date for his first appearance before a federal magistrate has not yet been set.