NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — A community is in shock after a 16-year-old girl, Gabrielle Barrera, was found shot and killed Saturday night.
The suspect who’s been arrested in her death — Barrera’s 17-year-old brother.
“It’s tragic,” neighbor Adrian Guerrero said Monday.
Guerrero lives on Sumner Circle in New Braunfels and realized his street was blocked off on Saturday night.
“I was just laying down and I just saw the lights and everything so I came outside and was wondering what was going on,” he recalls.
He later learned that officers took Zachary Barrera into custody just a few doors down.
“I can’t imagine what the family is going through,” Guerrero says.
Guerrero only knew the family in passing, but says there’s never been trouble.
“I never heard any problems; no arguing, nothing from over there. I mean, they were good people as far as I can tell. So, it was quite a shock,” Guerrero says.
Both teens were students at Canyon High School.
Steve Stanford, a spokesperson for the Comal Independent School District, says Gabrielle was a junior involved in musical theater while her older brother was a sophomore.
Stanford says 18 counselors are at the high school to offer extra support. There are usually nine.
“We activate our crisis response team, which is a group of counselors that will go to the affected campus and just provide counseling support for those students,” he says.
Stanford says the counselors will stay on campus until further notice.
“It’s really about keeping an eye on everybody for the next few days, next few weeks,” Stanford says.
Guerrero says he’s glad for the extra support after a difficult conversation with his own daughter, a freshman at Canyon High School.
“Anything that has to do with teenagers and death is…it’s hard you know,” he says.
Zachary Barrera is being held at Comal County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
“I feel bad for the family and I hope God blesses them and I’m just sad for them,” Guerrero says.
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