PORT ARANSAS, Texas – Police arrested a San Antonio teenager Sunday morning in connection with a shooting on Port Aransas beach that left five people injured, the Port Aransas Police Department said.
Ernesto Castillo, 17, was arrested at 4:20 a.m. for five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police said. As of Monday afternoon, records show Castillo remains in custody at the Nueces County Jail on $500,000 bond.
The shooting happened around 11:40 p.m. Saturday night near Beach Marker 20. All five people injured were shot and transported to local hospitals for treatment.
Port Aransas Police Chief James Stokes said in a news release that the shooting stemmed from an altercation between two groups on the beach.
In addition to Castillo, three people were placed into police custody for questioning by Port Aransas detectives and Texas Rangers.
Additional information was not immediately available. The investigation is ongoing.
Andrea K. Moreno is a Digital Journalist at KSAT. She graduated from Texas State University with an electronic media degree and a minor in psychology. She also attended San Antonio College, where she held several positions at The Ranger, now known as The Sundial, for three years.
Christian Riley joined KSAT 12 in June 2025. He returned to the Lone Star State after serving as the senior digital producer at the NBC affiliate in mid-Missouri and earned two Missouri Broadcasters Association awards.