Kaleb Williams

On a summer afternoon in Arlington, Texas, a dispute between teenagers turned deadly, ending the lives of two brothers. Kaleb Williams, a 17-year-old Black teenager, and his 13-year-old brother, Josh Williams, were shot and killed on July 23, 2021. A third teen was also injured in the shooting. Family members who rushed to the scene were devastated. "You can’t process that," their aunt, Kimberla Washington, said. "You can’t. It’s untouchable."

The violence erupted around 1:30 p.m. at the Artisan at Rush Creek Apartments off Sublett Road. According to Arlington police, the incident began with an argument among a group of teens outside a nearby barbershop. An adult who tried to intervene called 911, but the group ran to the apartment complex. Investigators believe the Williams brothers were walking toward their apartment when they were confronted again. The argument escalated, and shots were fired. Kaleb and Josh were found on a sidewalk.

As police arrived, they saw a vehicle driving erratically away from the scene and pulled it over. Inside, they found a 16-year-old who had been shot in the shoulder. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. At the apartment complex, officers recovered one firearm near the brothers and a second that had been ditched behind a building. Police later stated a total of three guns were recovered. Witnesses told authorities they saw two other teenagers hopping fences and fleeing just after the gunfire.

The injured 16-year-old was identified as the suspected shooter. Arlington police announced that he would face charges for the deaths of Kaleb and Josh Williams. Within 24 hours of the shooting, detectives had charged the juvenile with two counts of capital murder. As of July 2021, the case was proceeding through the justice system. "They were kids," the boys' aunt, Mariah Williams, said of her lost nephews.