On the evening of January 23, 2025, 18-year-old Raymon Cruz was fatally shot at a residence on the 3700 block of Dustin Court in Killeen, Texas. Cruz, known as RJ, was reportedly handling a firearm with 19-year-old Jeremiah Ezekiel Hanley when Hanley unintentionally discharged the weapon. Cruz was taken to AdventHealth Central Texas in critical condition and later died of his injuries.

Hanley was taken into custody at the scene and charged with manslaughter by the Bell County District Attorney’s Office; his arraignment on the charge was before Justice of the Peace Nicola James with bond set at $120,000. Witnesses at the residence said they heard the two laughing and saw them ‘‘dancing around with the gun like rappers do in music videos’’ shortly before the shot. Hanley placed a 911 call after the shooting and expressed remorse to Cruz’s family at the scene.

Cruz was a senior at Ellison High School and had been accepted to the Universal Technical Institute. His funeral was held February 8, 2025, at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center, with burial at Garden of Memories Cemetery. Does anyone have information about what happened that evening or knew RJ and can help clarify events leading up to the shooting?