In Lubbock, Texas, three people are now in custody following the tragic death of 17-year-old Julian Hernandez, who was shot and killed on Saturday afternoon near 58th Street and Avenue J.
The investigation led authorities to a juvenile in Houston on Monday evening. Teams from both Lubbock and Houston, along with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Houston police, worked together to track down the suspect. After being arrested, the juvenile was brought back to Lubbock on Wednesday and is now at the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center.
Another suspect, 17-year-old Ethan Amaya, fled Lubbock after the incident and was found in Huntsville. On Wednesday, officers located him at a house on White Circle. When law enforcement arrived, Amaya barricaded himself inside, resulting in a tense standoff that lasted for hours. The Huntsville Police Department’s SWAT team, along with the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, initially handled the situation until a SWAT team from Conroe stepped in.
To bring the standoff to an end, the Conroe SWAT team deployed gas into the house. Eventually, officers found Amaya hiding in the attic. He was arrested just before 6:30 p.m. and is currently being held at the Walker County Jail. Authorities plan to extradite him back to Lubbock. His bond has been set at $300,000.
Later that same day, a second juvenile was arrested in the 5400 block of Avenue T in Lubbock. This suspect is also now at the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center.
This series of arrests marks significant progress in the case, bringing authorities closer to justice for Julian Hernandez and his grieving family.
