In a quiet home on Woodrow Avenue, the life of 16-year-old Alejandro Gonzalez-Santos was abruptly cut short on a Friday evening, January 26, 2018. The initial call to emergency services in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, reported a fall down the stairs, but a second person on the line quickly clarified the grim reality: someone had been shot. When police arrived, they found the young man, a junior at Egg Harbor Township High School, deceased at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head.
Alejandro, who was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was remembered as a great kid who was doing well in life. He worked as a cashier at the ShopRite in Somers Point and had a summer job at Castaway Cove on the Ocean City boardwalk. In his free time, he loved riding his skateboard, playing Xbox, and going to the boardwalk to enjoy the amusement rides. His favorite foods were simple teenage pleasures: pizza and Hot Pockets.
He left behind his parents, six siblings, and his girlfriend.
The investigation into Alejandro's death quickly led to the arrest of a 17-year-old male, who was also a student at Egg Harbor Township High School. The suspect, whose identity was not publicly released due to his age, was charged with aggravated manslaughter and weapons offenses. He was subsequently held at the Harborfields Youth Detention Facility in Egg Harbor City. The motive and the specific circumstances leading up to the shooting were not immediately disclosed by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.
The sudden and violent death of Alejandro sent shockwaves through the community. Grief counselors were made available at the high school to support students and staff grappling with the loss of their classmate. A GoFundMe page was established by a neighbor to help his family with the unexpected funeral expenses, and friends and family gathered for a visitation and funeral service to mourn the tragic end of a young life full of promise.
