Jacob J. Serna was 17 and weeks away from graduating from Carroll High School when he was shot on the evening of April 15, 2026, near the intersection of Weber Road and Tripoli Drive in Corpus Christi, Texas. Known to family and friends as JJ, he worked at Whataburger and was remembered as loving, kind, and funny, looking forward to prom and graduation. Officers arrived about 7:52 p.m.; first aid was given at the scene and he was taken to a hospital, where he died of his gunshot wound. A preliminary investigation indicated an altercation during which a weapon was produced.

Robbery and homicide detectives interviewed multiple witnesses as the community mourned and the family prepared for funeral services. On April 21, 2026, the Corpus Christi Gang Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Jusiah Ortiz near Columbia Street and Bloomington Street; Ortiz was booked on a murder warrant. The investigation into the circumstances of Jacob’s death is ongoing.

Does anyone who knew Jacob or witnessed the incident have information that could help investigators?