MIDLAND, Texas — 17-year-old Luis Jesus Berlanga has been charged with murder after a shooting incident on July 4.
An affidavit from the Midland Police Department revealed that Berlanga was with his girlfriend around 2:00 a.m. on July 4 when she wanted to leave Berlanga's grandparents residence after an argument.
The girlfriend called her brother to pick her up and he came with two of his friends. When Berlanga tried to convince his girlfriend to stay, the girlfriend's brother and a friend got out of the vehicle to talk to Berlanga.
After the group reiterated to Berlanga that the girlfriend was leaving, Berlanga pulled out a gun and shot the friend who stepped out of the vehicle.
The friend has been identified as Richard Alan Rose Jr., 32.
Berlanga fled the scene immediately and put the gun on the west side of his grandparents house, while Berlanga's girlfriend and her brother put the wounded victim into the bed of the pickup truck and headed straight to the E.R.
Later that same morning, Berlanga went to the Midland Police Department with his grandparents and turned himself in.
Initially, Berlanga was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, but on July 11, Rose passed away and the charge was changed to Murder.
An autopsy has been requested by the Dallas County Medical Center.
We will continue to update this story as we receive more information.