GREENVILLE, Texas — Arrested on a capital murder charge Monday morning, Brandon Gonzales denied to WFAA that he was the shooter who killed two people and injured 12 others during a homecoming party Saturday in Greenville.
In an interview from the Hunt County jail, Gonzales admitted he was at the Halloween-themed party the night of the shooting.
The 23-year-old father of three said he was dressed as a security guard.
"I have a vest," he said of what he was wearing that night. "It looks bulletproof, but it doesn't have the plates in there though."
But Gonzales claims that he was not inside The Party Venue when a shooter opened fire, killing two men and injuring 12 other people.
He said when the shooting began, he was in a car outside the venue and claims he has witnesses who can corroborate his story. Gonzales wouldn't reveal the names of those alleged witnesses to WFAA.
Gonzales was arrested Monday morning on a charge of capital murder of multiple persons. He said he was at his job at a Greenville auto dealership where he washes cars at the time of his arrest.
Sheriff Meeks said investigators were able to identify Gonzales as the alleged shooter after "pushing and pushing until people finally started coming forward."
He said other than a minor traffic incident over the summer, Gonzales hadn't had any run-ins with Hunt County authorities before his arrest.
The sheriff said authorities believe Gonzales went to the venue to target one specific person – the first victim shot – and then opened fire randomly into the crowd.
He said the motive of the shooting is still unknown and an investigation continues. Authorities haven't found the weapon used in the shooting, Meeks said.
Monday, Hunt County officials identified the two men killed at the party as 23-year-old Kevin Berry, of Dallas, and 23-year-old Byron Cravens Jr., of Arlington.
As of Monday afternoon, five people remained hospitalized, including one patient in critical condition.
Authorities said at the time of the shooting, about 750 people were inside the venue, located about 20 miles away from Texas A&M University-Commerce.
TAMUC confirmed that four of the 12 people injured during the shooting were students at the university. The students were treated and later released from local hospitals.
As the investigation continues, Meeks said tips are still wanted. Anyone with information pertaining to the shooting is asked to call the Hunt County tip line 903-457-2929.
WFAA's Marjorie Owens contributed to this report.
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