Suspect in deadly flea market shooting turns himself in

The 19-year-old suspect wanted in a mass shooting at a popular Texas flea market surrendered to the authorities Tuesday — as the 10-year-old boy who died in Sunday’s gunfight was identified by his family and hailed as a “little angel.”

Accused gunman David Negrete was booked into the Brazoria County Jail around 10 a.m., police said.  

Negrete is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection to the incident at Cole’s Flea Market in Pearland that left the child dead and four others wounded.

“He should be considered armed and dangerous,” Officer Chad Rogers, with the Pearland Police Department, said of Negrete before his surrender.

The 10-year-old victim, identified by his family as Francisco Vicente Duarte, was fatally shot while helping his mother, who runs a small shop at the market to support her two children as a single parent.

Relatives told the station KHOU11 that the boy, nicknamed “Chente,” spent every weekend at the flea market with his mom.

The child was described by his family as kind and “a little angel.”

Negrete’s surrender came a day after police arrested Juliana Espiono and Cruz Meza, both 18 years old, in connection with the shooting, charging both with tampering with physical evidence and making a false statement to a peace officer.

Police said that Meza was among the people who were shot and wounded at the flea market.

Officers responded to Cole’s Flea Market on Main Street just after 5:30 p.m. Sunday for reports of shots fired and discovered 5 victims: Duarte, Meza, a 14-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy and a 37-year-old man.

“I can tell you that the 10-year-old, the 14-year-old, and the 37-year-old victims were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire as a result of the altercation,” Rogers said.

Gunfire broke out after a heated argument between two people who did not know each other, Rogers said. A third person may also have been involved in the fire exchange.

Negrete was believed to be one of the shooters. Investigators were trying to establish whether the injured 16-year-old was also involved.

On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that authorities were offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.