In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 2, 2026, a joyous gathering of young people in Amarillo, Texas, descended into a scene of chaos and tragedy. Seventeen-year-old Ezekiel Rudy Almazan was among the attendees who became a victim of a violent outburst that would ultimately claim his life and that of another teenager. The night began as a party at one location, but after a group was asked to leave, the festivities moved to the Westminster Apartments on South Coulter.
The individuals who had been removed from the initial party followed the group to the apartment complex. When they were denied entry, they unleashed a barrage of gunfire into the crowd, turning a night of youthful celebration into a horrifying ordeal.
The sudden eruption of violence left a devastating toll. Ezekiel Rudy Almazan was fatally wounded and was one of two teenagers who lost their lives that night; the other victim was 16-year-old Deven Antonucci. In addition to the two fatalities, ten other individuals were injured in the mass shooting. The Amarillo Police Department was called to the scene at approximately 1:58 a.m. and discovered a male who was pronounced dead at the location. Nine others were transported to the hospital, with five in critical condition, and one of them later succumbed to their injuries. In the aftermath, Ezekiel's mother, Monica Almazan, created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, where she described her son as her "joy, my strength, and a beautiful blessing in my life." She shared that anyone who knew him understood the immense love he carried and the profound impact he had on those around him.
The investigation into the deadly shooting was swift, with the Amarillo Police Department identifying persons of interest shortly after the incident. Investigators recovered two AR-style rifles that were believed to have been used in the attack. Within weeks, arrests were made in connection to the mass shooting. Two individuals were taken into custody and charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Ezekiel Almazan and Deven Antinucci. Police also announced that they were actively searching for a third suspect involved in the shooting. The case, which cut short the lives of two teenagers and injured many others, remains an active investigation as authorities continue to pursue all individuals responsible for the tragic events of that May morning.
