Houston Man Arrested After Soccer Game Argument Leads To Deadly Shooting

Houston police arrested a man for allegedly shooting a man dead and critically injuring another over an argument about a soccer game.

Police responded to a shooting report at a restaurant in the 5800 block of South Gessner Road in southwest Houston around 1.30 a.m. Saturday. Officers found two men bleeding from gunshot wounds at the scene, according to KPRC.

Julio Noches-Cerna, 46, was arguing with the two victims about a soccer game shown at the restaurant. Police believe Noches-Cerna pulled out a gun and shot Boris Jackson Colindres-Herrera and Gustov Blanda inside the restaurant, the report said.

Other guests at the restaurant were able to detain Noches-Cerna soon after the shooting until authorities arrived at the scene.

Both the victims were taken to an area hospital for treatment. "The first victim, Boris Jackson Colindres-Herrera, 34, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the torso and was pronounced deceased," the Houston Police said in a statement. "The second victim, Gustov Blanda, 40, suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and was transported to a hospital in critical condition."

Noches-Cerna received treatment for multiple scrapes and cuts on his face. "Suspect Julio Noches-Cerna was treated at the hospital for injuries sustained prior to the arrival of HPD officers," said the police department on Twitter.

After Noches-Cerna was released from the hospital, authorities arrested him on charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

In a similar incident, an Illinois man was arrested for allegedly shooting his half-brother to death over an argument about a COVID-19 vaccine. The two men lived next to each other and had no prior physical altercation before the shooting. The man was charged with murder and aggravated battery with the use of a firearm.

In 2020, nearly 20,000 Americans died due to gun violence, more than any other year in the last two decades, the Washington Post reported citing the Gun Violence Archive (GVA). An additional 24,000 people died by suicide with a firearm. Now, 2021 could surpass that number as 14,516 Americans have already died from gun violence between January and September, CNN reported.

Additionally, mass shootings have also increased since the onset of the pandemic. Based on the number, 2021 could become one of the worst years for gun violence in decades, the CNN report said.

However, experts believe the rapid rise in violence might be slowing down. According to Richard Rosenfeld, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri--St. Louis and his colleagues, homicide rates were 23 percent higher in the first quarter of 2021 compared to last year. However, in the second quarter, the homicide rate fell to 10 percent, according to CNN.

The firearm industry has also witnessed a similar slowdown trend in sales after an initial spike in gun sales in January.