Abel Elias Acosta- Texas- 2021

(Above photo credit: dallasnews.com via Garland (Texas) Police Department)

From The Dallas Morning News (dallasnews.com):

Garland police said Wednesday that they’ve identified the gunman who fatally shot three teenagers at a gas station Sunday and believe he is armed, dangerous and evading arrest.

Officers are searching for 14-year-old Abel Elias Acosta. The Dallas Morning News typically does not name juveniles suspected of a crime but is making an exception because Acosta is believed to pose a threat to public safety.

“Anyone who has knowledge of the whereabouts of Abel is encouraged to call 911 immediately,” Garland police said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

Police said they intend to pursue a capital murder charge against Acosta, whose father already has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

Police took another 14-year-old boy into custody Monday but later released him, saying he was not the shooter.

The shooting killed three teen boys — 14-year-old Xavier Gonzalez, 16-year-old Ivan Noyala and 17-year-old Rafael Garcia — and wounded a 15-year-old cook who had started working at the store last week and whose name has not been released.
The shooting

Police said Acosta’s father, 33-year-old Richard Acosta Jr., drove him to and from the Texaco station Sunday night. Richard Acosta was seen on surveillance camera footage inside the store a short time before the shooting, police said.

Just before the shooting, the driver stopped a white Dodge pickup in front of the store. Video footage showed the shooter get out of the pickup, crouch along the store windows, open the front door and shoot at least 20 times, police said.

The gunman, who was firing a .40-caliber handgun with an extended magazine, then got back in the pickup and fled.

Police have said they believe the shooting was in retaliation for a prior dispute, but they have not elaborated on that incident.

At least one of the victims was the shooter’s intended target, said Lt. Pedro Barineau, a spokesman for the department. Investigators have determined Xavier and the cook were not intended targets.
The victims

Xavier’s family said he was buying food and texting his girlfriend when the shooter fired into the store.

His relatives were among the dozens of people who gathered for a vigil Tuesday at the Texaco station. They said he was industrious, made friends easily, and dreamed of being a ranch hand or cowboy one day.

Family members of Ivan and Rafael did not respond to interview requests.

According to his obituary, Ivan was a brother to three siblings. He was always smiling and was a hard worker who prioritized the well-being of his family, according to a GoFundMe account.

Police have said they believe the shooting was in retaliation for a prior dispute, but they have not elaborated on that incident.

At least one of the victims was the shooter’s intended target, said Lt. Pedro Barineau, a spokesman for the department. Investigators have determined Xavier and the cook were not intended targets.
The victims

Xavier’s family said he was buying food and texting his girlfriend when the shooter fired into the store.

His relatives were among the dozens of people who gathered for a vigil Tuesday at the Texaco station. They said he was industrious, made friends easily, and dreamed of being a ranch hand or cowboy one day.

Family members of Ivan and Rafael did not respond to interview requests.

According to his obituary, Ivan was a brother to three siblings. He was always smiling and was a hard worker who prioritized the well-being of his family, according to a GoFundMe account.

Rafael had five siblings, according to his obituary.

Funerals for Xavier and Ivan are Thursday. Rafael’s funeral is scheduled for Jan. 5.

At large

Police said that anyone with knowledge of Abel Acosta’s whereabouts should call 911. Authorities described him as 5-5 and about 125 pounds, with dark hair and brown eyes.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to Acosta’s capture. Anonymous tips may be made by calling 972-272-8477 or visiting garlandcrimestoppers.org.

www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2021/12/29/garland-police-id-teen-as-suspected-gunman-in-fatal-gas-station-shooting/



Thoughts? Based on the above article's posting date, Acosta was still at large at least as of December 29th, 2021. This site is also usually apprehensive about profiling juvenile suspects. However, this is obviously a different scenario since Acosta is a triple homicide suspect and in my opinion a danger to the public until he's caught.

UPDATE: As of February 5th, 2024 anyone having information on Acosta’s whereabouts can also call America’s Most Wanted at 1-866-AMW-TIPS and/or submit a tip at amwtips.com



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