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The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is asking the Texas Attorney General whether it can withhold the probable cause affidavit for the arrest of an 18-year-old Weslaco man who fatally shot a teenager on Jan. 11.
Civil attorneys with the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office sent the letter to the AG on Friday.
The Monitor requested the affidavit for Arturo Ramos III, who is charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting a 16-year-old teen who had agreed to wear a bulletproof vest.
The shooting happened at an after school gathering where people were mishandling a handgun.
In the letter, the attorneys argue that although the affidavit doesn’t actually have the victim’s name, it could still identify the teenager.
“Although the information does not contain the minor’s name, the information attached … contains specific information that would identify (the) child victim even if the child’s identifying information was redacted,” the letter states.
The AG will likely side with the sheriff’s office, but it’s also likely the name of the victim will be revealed when Ramos is indicted.
The shooting happened in rural Weslaco in the 6400 block of FM 88.
The investigation began after the unidentified 16 year old arrived dead at a hospital.
Initially, investigators received information that the victim accidentally shot himself while playing around with the handgun, according to a news release.
However, additional information from witnesses revealed that Ramos had the victim try on the bulletproof vest so he could shoot him.
“The victim agreed to wear the vest and have Ramos shoot him,” the release stated.
Ramos shot the teen twice, once in the bulletproof vest and once in the chest.
He bailed out of the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on Jan. 12 on a $125,000 bond.
