Houston police respond to a shoe robbery in Westchase where a 14-year-old boy was shot on May 6, 2022.
The Texas teenager who was gunned down and shot for his shoes died on Saturday, May 7, Houston police confirmed to KHOU 11. Axel Turcios, 14, was shot in the back at an apartment complex in west Houston on Friday, May 6.
According to police, the boy was transported to a local hospital in critical condition after officers responded around 8 p.m. at the 2500 block of Tanglewilde Avenue. Turcios reportedly told police the gunmen had demanded he hand over his shoes before they shot him. Then, he said, they ripped the shoes off his feet as he lay bleeding on the ground, KHOU 11 reported. It's unclear what type of shoes were stolen.
Friends of Turcios created a GoFundMe page, raising over $10,000 for funeral expenses as of Tuesday, May 10. The creator of the page, Olga Catoni, wrote in the account how devastated everyone is about the loss.
"Axel was lost due to a senseless crime," Catoni wrote. "We ask for anything to support this hard working family. May God grant them peace!"
Houston ISD released the following statement regarding the death of Turcios:
"HISD grieves the loss of a Lamar High School student who died over the weekend while off-campus. We offer our deepest sympathy to the student's family, friends and the entire school community. Counselors have been made available to support students and staff at this difficult time."
Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).
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