Rodney Curtis Ward, 48, of Amarillo, Texas, died on January 20, 2021, from injuries sustained when he was shot following a traffic crash near SW 1st Avenue and S. Bonham Street. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was taken to a local hospital with life‑threatening wounds before he succumbed the next day.

The Amarillo Police Department opened a homicide investigation. On January 21, 2021, a 15‑year‑old male was arrested in connection with the shooting. The next day SWAT assisted the APD Homicide Unit executing search warrants at two residences on the 100 block of S. Austin Street; evidence seized led to the arrest of 18‑year‑old Edward Matthew Gamez, who was booked into the Randall County Jail on a murder charge.

Ward’s family and friends described him as kind and helpful, and his death had a significant impact on those who knew him. Does anyone with knowledge of the area or those involved have information that could help clarify what happened that night?