Harris County shooting: Man shot dead while investigating friend's stolen truck at chop shop
A man was shot to death on the fenced-in property of an east Harris County business early Monday morning, authorities say.
The shooting occurred around 5 a.m. in the 14000 block of Brownsville Street. The situation transpired when the property owner called 9-1-1, claiming to have shot at an intruder on his premises. Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered an unresponsive young man within the confines of the property, having sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
Shawn Mireles, 21, was fatally shot in what authorities have described as a confrontation within the premises of a suspected chop shop and dumping ground for stolen vehicles and parts. Mireles, accompanied by two colleagues, had ventured to the auto parts business following the theft of a truck belonging to one of them. Armed with information suggesting the stolen vehicle's location through GPS tracking.
However, a fatal encounter ensued when Mireles crossed paths with Jorge Zuniga-Martinez, the owner of the premises, who authorities say had opted to stay overnight due to recent theft incidents. Zuniga-Martinez claimed to have been startled by Mireles' presence and, upon confrontation, resorted to lethal force as Mireles purportedly attempted to flee.
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Auto theft investigators were called to the scene. Examination of various automotive components, including engines, transmissions, and frames, uncovered a pattern of theft.
Zuniga-Martinez was formally charged with the murder of Sherwin Mireles.