SAN ANTONIO – A 16-year-old boy riding on an electric scooter with a family member downtown was taken to an area hospital after he was shot in the calf early Monday morning, San Antonio police said.
Officers were called just before 2 a.m. to the intersection of East Martin Street and Solidad Street near the V Lounge after receiving word of a shooting.
According to police, the teen was with his uncle riding an electric scooter on East Martin when they both heard what sounded like a few pops. That’s when, police said, the teen thought he had been hit by glass, but discovered he had been struck by gunfire as a vehicle drove by.
SAPD said the teen sat down at a picnic table outside the V Lounge and officers confirmed he had been hit by gunfire.
The victim was taken to Brooke Army Medical Center by EMS with a non-life-threatening injury.
“He’s a strong kid,” said the victim’s brother who asked not to be identified for the protection of his brother’s identity. “He’s doing great. He’s at home right now recovering. He is with my family.”
According to his brother, the family is no stranger to gun violence and considers themselves lucky.
“He’s a good kid,” he said. “He was getting ready to start working in construction with his dad but now his leg is fractured. I don’t know when he will recover. I have had a couple of friends die when I was younger so I know how it feels but luckily it was in the leg and not in the chest. It could have been anywhere.”
Investigators say they do not have a description of the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle since neither the victim nor his uncle saw anything. A motive is also unknown.
Additional bullet holes were found in the windows of the V Lounge, police said.
The victim’s brother said this is a strong reminder to the community to end the senseless violence.
“Gun violence, it is everywhere,” he said. “It is all over the city. All over the world and it needs to stop. People need to open their minds and realize that when they are shooting and there are innocent people around, there are victims that can fall that have never done anything in their life. I have no words. It just needs to stop. This is out of control.”
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.