Edinburg police arrested a former star football player from Robert Vela High School on Saturday for brandishing a BB gun and assaulting another male at a gathering of friends he wasn’t invited to, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Pablo Jesus Rivera, 18, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after he pulled a BB gun from his waistband and assaulted a male identified in the affidavit as Justin.
Rivera, who spent his first two years on the Sabercats’ varsity team as their star running back, was named The Monitor’s Offensive Player of the Year in the beginning of this year.
He was also named The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Football Offensive Player of the Year after he finished the season with 927 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns, 506 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns on 34 catches, helping the Sabercats capture the District 31-6A title and a 10-0 record during the regular season.
According to the affidavit, police responded to 3121 Whitewing Ave. at about 11:10 p.m. in regards to a disturbance. Police came in contact with Roberto A. Garcia, Alexander Sotelo, Jorge Luis Vasquez and Yamith Melguizo at the residence.
Garcia told police he was having a gathering with friends when Rivera showed up uninvited.
Vasquez and his girlfriend, Melguizo, said they both observed Rivera looking for his ex-girlfriend, identified as Alexa.
Sotelo testified that he saw Rivera confront Justin near the restroom and began arguing.
According to Garcia, Rivera began fighting Justin but when they stopped and Garcia asked Rivera to leave, he pulled what appeared to be a gun from his waistline and waved it around, “flaunting it.”
“Alexander will further testify that he observed Pablo pull out a weapon and put it on Justin’s neck,” the complaint said.
Melguizo also testified that Rivera waved the weapon around at “torso level and in her direction.”
The couple would later tell police that Rivera didn’t directly point the gun at any individual.
During an interview with police, Rivera told police the weapon was a BB gun and that he didn’t point it at anyone. He revealed that he received a call from a friend that was at Garcia’s house and told him his girlfriend was there with another male, according to the affidavit.
Rivera said he went to the location to get her when he began fighting with Justin. He added that during the fight, he “felt several people assaulting him,” police said in the document.
Rivera was released from jail Monday on a $20,000 bond.
