In the early morning hours of March 15, 2026, a disturbance on a street in North Fort Worth, Texas, tragically cut short the life of 28-year-old Enrique Avila. Just after 2 a.m., Avila was walking near the intersection of East Long Avenue and Schwartz Avenue when he was fatally shot.
The incident began when Avila, who was reportedly upset by the sound of gunfire in his neighborhood, approached a black Ford Expedition.
Inside the vehicle were five individuals, including 17-year-old Maverik Parish, who was seated in the front passenger seat. Witnesses stated that Parish had been firing a tan handgun into the ground prior to the encounter with Avila.
An argument ensued between Avila and Parish. Witnesses told police that Avila, who appeared to be intoxicated, was yelling at Parish through the open passenger window about the gunfire. Although the driver of the SUV attempted to drive away, Avila moved in front of the vehicle, forcing it to stop. As Avila walked toward the driver's side, Parish allegedly leaned out of the passenger window and fired a single shot, striking Avila. He collapsed in a grassy median and died at the scene. Investigators later confirmed that Avila was unarmed.
The Ford Expedition sped away after the shooting but reportedly returned to the scene moments later. Upon seeing emergency vehicles, the driver made a U-turn and fled a second time. Utilizing city surveillance cameras, officers from the Real Time Crime Center were able to track the vehicle and relay its location to patrol units. Police located the SUV in the 2900 block of North Nichols and detained all five occupants. Inside the vehicle, they discovered two pistols, one of which was a tan handgun matching the description of the weapon used in the shooting.
Maverik Parish was arrested and charged with the murder of Enrique Avila. He was subsequently booked into the Tarrant County jail. The other four occupants of the vehicle were also detained for questioning. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
