Father mourns son lost in San Marcos shooting

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Antonio Barrera will remember his son, Anthony, as kind and selfless.

“He was a good kid, an excellent kid,” Antonio said. “He would give you his shirt off his back if he had to.”

His 24-year-old son was one of two men shot and killed during the early morning hours in the San Marcos Square on Saturday. A third person was also injured but is okay.

“I still text him,” Antonio said. “I’ve been texting good morning, good night, as if he were still here.”

“Family is the most important foremost to us. That’s what he was taught. So he lived by it — that’s what we all live by,” he continued.

San Marcos police said the violence began with a fight between Anthony Barrera and another man, who police have not named, over that man’s wife. Police said Anthony was dating the married woman. Others joined in, including 19-year-old Avery Saul Bowman, who police say stole Barrera’s necklace during the altercation.

SMPD has asked for the public’s help to locate Bowman, who has been accused of capital murder.

San Marcos Police Chief Stan Standridge said while Anthony was fighting Bowman, 19-year-old Jermiah Jayden Tobias got involved and shot a handgun that police believed had an “altered trigger,” allowing the weapon to fire automatically. About eight shots were fired, Standridge said.

Police arrested Tobias on Saturday night and charged him with two counts of capital murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to Hays County online jail records. As of Sunday, Tobias’ bond was set at $1.65 million.

Tobias was out on bond for unlawfully carrying a weapon and possession of a controlled substance charges following his release on July 5, police said.

Two victims were shot in the head — Anthony was pronounced dead at the scene, and Alek Pacheco, 20, later died at the hospital. Additionally, a third victim was grazed by a stray bullet.