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Family remembers AutoZone employee following shooting over the weekend

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Published  December 23, 2024 7:47pm CST
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FOX 26 Houston

The Brief

    • Carlos Perez, a 19-year-old AutoZone employee, was shot and killed at his workplace on Birnham Woods Drive. The suspect, William Gabriel Aguilar, also 19, has been arrested and charged with murder, though the motive remains unknown.
    • Perez is remembered by his family as a kind, generous, and religious young man with aspirations in the automotive industry. He was passionate about sports and cars and had plans to become an engineer and start a car washing business.
    • A memorial has been set up outside the AutoZone in his honor, and a vigil is planned for Monday at 7:30 p.m. Aguilar is currently held in Montgomery County Jail on a $750,000 bond.

HOUSTON, Texas - A family is mourning the loss of their loved one after he was shot and killed at AutoZone where he worked on Saturday. Nine-teen-year-old Carlos Perez was working when a man shot him inside the store. 

Family honors the memory of 19-year-old AutoZone worker tragically murdered

Jade Flury spoke with the heartbroken family of Carlos Perez, who tragically lost his life after being shot while on the job at AutoZone.

"He did not deserve any of this," said Daylanie Alanis, the cousin of Carlos Perez. 

Perez’s life was cut short Saturday morning after being shot while working his job at an AutoZone on Birnham Woods Drive. The suspect, 19-year-old William Gabriel Aguilar, was arrested and charged with the young man’s murder. The motive behind the shooting still remains unknown. 

"We’re heartbroken. We’re sad. We’re angry, we’re feeling all of these emotions," said Alanis. 

RELATED: AutoZone shooting: Suspect charged with murder in employee's death

Carlo’s family remembered him as a kind and generous soul who would always lend a helping hand to anyone in need. 

"He was very religious. He welcomed everybody in his life. If someone had a problem, he would help them out, even if he didn’t know them," said Alanis. 

His family described the 19-year-old as a lover of sports and a car enthusiast, saying he had big dreams of being an engineer in the automotive industry and was starting a car washing business. 

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"He wasn’t even fully grown yet. He was still missing all of his achievements. He had goals set for himself," said Alanis. 

A memorial is growing outside AutoZone in honor of Carlos. 

"No matter what, he will always be here with us, in our heart, in our mind," said Alanis. 

Aguilar is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $750,000 bond. A vigil for Carlos will be held on Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the AutoZone location where Carlos worked. 

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