Garland Shooting Victim's Family Continues Grieving As Suspect Abel Acosta Remains At Large
GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — It's been over a month since a deadly shooting in Garland and police said they still don't know where the shooter is.
Garland Police identified the 14-year-old shooter as Abel Elias Acosta. They said he is considered armed and dangerous.
The family of the youngest victim who was shot and killed is trying to keep people aware of the investigation in hopes someone will come forward with information to help make an arrest.
"It happened like a month ago, but just because it's not trending doesn't mean it's not there," family member Kurt Gonzalez said.
"It's not still happening, we're still grieving," Xavier's aunt Erica Gonzalez said.
The family of 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez is mourning him a month after his death. They released a balloon and played some of his favorite music at his gravesite.
"We try to take it as the days go by but it's still just very hard," Erica Gonzalez said.
The family is doing what they can I'm hopes for justice but they also still have a lot of questions about what's going on.
"How can a 14-year-old just disappear?" Erica Gonzalez said.
"We don't have any solid location; whether he's still in country or out of the country," Garland Police Department Lt. Pedro Barineau said. "We're working with US Marshal service because they're the experts when it comes to tracking down a fugitive."
Garland police said they are still actively searching for Acosta and believe someone is helping him evade arrest.
Police said he's responsible for shooting four teens, killing three of them, including Xavier Gonzalez. Police said he was an innocent bystander during the shooting.
"It's really hard for us to have inner peace when we know, we have to put him down and no one's paid for what they did," Erica Gonzalez said.
Abel's father, 33-year-old Richard Acosta Jr. turned himself in. Police said he was the getaway driver for the shooting.
"We're not receiving any information from the father. He voluntarily turned himself in, but that's where it ended," Barineau said.
"Of course we want the father to pay for what he did as well, but we want the actual killer to pay for what he did," Erica Gonzalez said.
The Gonzalez family is still in disbelief and has a message for anyone who knows something.
"Have some compassion, and we just want justice and want the right thing for everybody's families," Erica Gonzalez said.
The Gonzalez family and police are hopeful that the $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of Acosta will encourage someone to speak up.
