In the small city of Ulysses, Kansas, a tragedy unfolded in the spring of 2021, cutting short the life of a young boy. A Hispanic/Latino male, 14-year-old Christopher Garcia, was a student at Kepley Middle School where he was active in track, basketball, football, and cross country. Known for his love of cooking, drawing, and spending time with his family, he was a well-liked individual who made friends with ease.
On the evening of April 28, 2021, a group of six teenagers, including four
males and two females, were gathered at Russ Binney Park. At approximately 6:30 p.m., a resident living near the park heard gunshots and promptly called 911. When officers from the Ulysses Police Department arrived at the scene, they discovered Christopher suffering from a gunshot wound to his face and neck. Emergency medical services transported him to Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital, and he was later airlifted to Ascension Via Christi hospital in Wichita for more intensive care. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Christopher Garcia succumbed to his injuries on May 2, 2021.
The investigation into the shooting was conducted by the Ulysses Police Department with assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Their inquiries led them to a suspect, a 13-year-old boy from Ulysses named Javion Valdez. On May 13, 2021, Valdez was arrested by Grant County Sheriff's deputies and taken to the Southwest Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Garden City. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, criminal possession of a firearm, and possession of stolen property.
During his first court appearance, Valdez pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court later decided to release the juvenile from detention into the custody of a family member living outside of Ulysses. As a condition of his release, he was placed on ankle monitoring and given strict guidelines to follow. The complaint filed against Valdez alleged that he "unlawfully and intentionally killed a human being...unintentionally but recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life." The charges also pertained to the theft of the handgun used in the incident and the unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor.
