Nearly 2 months after the deadly shooting which occurred at the Party Venue In Greenville, & The shooter is still at large.
A large gathering of up to 750 people or more attended a party at the Party Venue off Highway 380 on the night of October 27, 2019. Several of the attendees were students of the Texas A&M-Commerce School. What was suppose to be a costume/homecoming party tuned into a night of terror for all there.
Somewhere around Midnight, Hunt County Sheriff’s Office received a call about cars being parked along the side of Highway 380 in an unsafe manor. Caller stated the vehicles were parking on the shoulder of the road with party goers walking in the lanes of travel, almost getting hit by passing cars. Hunt County sends an officer to check out the situation. Upon officers arrival he announces over the radio he needs AMR to respond as someone had been shot at the party. Hunt County EMS along with Caddo Mills Fire & Greenville Fire units are the first to respond, including backup for the officer.
As the officer that was already on scene provides help for the wounded, he calls in over the radio that he believes more victims are possibly down inside the Venue. While the officer calls this out over the police radio, you can hear screaming from terrified party goers as they scramble to get away from the shooting. As more officers arrive on scene they request more ambulances for other victims, eventually organizing a triage for victims to be treated until transported to the hospital.
Several agencies we called in to assist including the FBI. Investigators canvased the area thru the early morning looking for evidence that the shooter may have left behind. The Hunt County Sheriffs Office eventually gave a press release asking for assistance from the party goers, asking if anyone seen anything, that may be helpful to their investigation to speak up. The Sheriffs office received little to no help from the few tips that were turned in.
A tip turned into the Hunt County Sheriffs Office led detectives to Brandon Gonzalez as the possible shooter. Gonzalez was located and booked into the Hunt County Detention Center on 2 counts of capital murder. After a few days in jail, Gonzalez was released for lack of evidence, and lack of cooperation from the witness that came forward.
Gonzalez had several supporters saying he wasn’t the shooter. Supporters even held a march which started at the Hunt County Detention Center, leading thru the downtown streets of Greenville Ending back at the Hunt County Jail. When Gonzalez was released he was greeted by family and the media, with little to say about the shooting, only that he was innocent and was glad to be out of jail. Since his release Gonzalez has filled a wrongful arrest suit against the County.
Since Gonzalez was released, there has been nothing spoken of this case. Many of the Hunt County Residents are on edge, due to the fact there is still a shooter on the loose. We get many messages a week asking on the status of this shooting. As of December 18, 2019 we here at HCTR know as much as the community does. We pray daily that someone speaks up to help officers make an arrest before this heartless killer strikes again. Continue to pray for the victims who lost their lives that night, and pray that justice is served
If you were present at the Party Venue or have any information regarding this case, please contact the Hunt County Sherriff’s Office at 903-408-6800, or to remain anonymous you may contact Hunt County Crime Stoppers at 903-457-2929.
