Garland Police identify 15-year-old murder victim, 18-year-old arrested; Iraq War veteran rushed to save injured teen

Garland police announced an arrest Thursday in the shooting death of a South Garland High School student.

The victim of Wednesday evening's shooting is identified as 15-year-old Russell Deangelo Jefferson, of Garland.

Detectives arrested 18-year-old Cesar Rocha, of Pleasant Grove, charging Rocha with murder.

According to police, the investigation began shortly after sunset at about 6 p.m. Wednesday in a neighborhood a few blocks away from Garland Avenue.

Officials said the 15-year-old was found lying in the street and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. NBC 5 learned Thursday that neighbors ran to help the injured boy, including a military veteran.

The sound of gunfire is one Lorena Quezada knows well.

“I knew it,” she said gesturing toward her front door. “They were so close. One, two, three. That fast.”

When shots erupted in her peaceful neighborhood, instinct immediately kicked in for the Army veteran and former law enforcement officer.

“You don’t think, you just do it,” said the Iraq War veteran.

Quezada shared Ring Doorbell video with NBC 5 that captured the shooting’s aftermath.

She ran to the young victim and saw that he’d been shot three times.

“Right here, then in the neck and in the chest,” she said. “It was close range. I could tell it was close range.”

Quezada said she also noticed a gun near the victim’s body which she kicked aside.

The teen was gasping for breath.  

She said another resident came over and said he was a U.S. Marine. He took off his shirt and applied pressure to the wounds as she administered CPR. Despite their valiant efforts, the teen died later at the hospital.

“When I heard that he died, it just kind of hit me because he seemed like he wanted to fight for his life,” she said.

While police said the motive for the shooting is not yet known, the two males were not strangers.

Quezada said that based on her training in the military and law enforcement, she believed the victim was targeted.

“The two individuals knew each other,” said Garland Police Lt. Richard Maldonado. “We believe they met online. The extent of the relationship, we’re not real sure. It’s still part of the investigation.”

The investigation led police to Rocha, according to Maldonado. They contacted the 18-year-old and asked him to come in for questioning. Rocha walked into police headquarters and spoke with detectives, according to Maldonado. After being interviewed, police arrested Rocha.

“It’s disheartening,” said Maldonado of the shooting. “As a parent, it’s difficult to understand sometimes what may lead a young person to do something like this.”

Garland ISD confirmed the victim was a student at South Garland High School. The suspect is not a GISD student, according to the district’s spokesman.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.