Teen Killed in Shooting Identified as Messiah Martinez, 16; Suspects Remain at Large
Authorities are actively investigating a deadly shooting involving three teenage victims after they arrived at a local hospital with gunshot wounds Tuesday evening. One of the teens, now identified as 16-year-old Messiah Martinez, was fatally wounded and pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Law enforcement officials are now treating the case as a homicide and are actively searching for suspects believed to be on the run.
The incident unfolded around 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, when officers who were already on-site at Baptist Hospital Emergency Room for an unrelated matter were suddenly confronted with a chaotic and tragic scene. A vehicle carrying three teenage males pulled up to the emergency room entrance. All three had sustained gunshot wounds.
Inside the car, officers discovered one of the victims—later identified as Messiah Martinez, 16—unresponsive in the backseat. Despite immediate efforts by hospital staff, Martinez was pronounced dead at the scene. The exact nature and number of his wounds have not been disclosed at this time.
The two surviving teens were rushed into emergency care. Their conditions have not been publicly released, though sources indicate both sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities are withholding their identities as the investigation continues.
Details surrounding the shooting, including where it occurred and the motive, remain unclear. Investigators are currently working to piece together the timeline of events that led up to the teens’ arrival at the hospital. Detectives have labeled the case a homicide and are treating the circumstances as an active and ongoing criminal investigation.
As of now, no arrests have been made, and the suspects involved are believed to be on the run. Law enforcement agencies are canvassing the area and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby locations in hopes of identifying those responsible for the shooting.
Police have not disclosed whether the surviving teens have been able to provide information about the incident or the suspects involved, citing the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.
Messiah Martinez’s death has left a community in mourning, as friends, family, and neighbors begin to process the senseless violence that cut a young life tragically short. Tributes and messages of grief have begun circulating on social media, with many describing Messiah as a kind-hearted teen with a bright future ahead of him.
In a brief statement, the police department urged anyone with information about the shooting or the suspects’ whereabouts to come forward. “This is a devastating tragedy involving young lives,” said a department spokesperson. “We are committed to finding those responsible and bringing justice to the victim and his family.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the local police department or leave an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers. Authorities emphasized that even the smallest piece of information could be critical in solving this case.