12-year-old and 20-year-old both charged with murder after shooting a Sonic worker in Texas

By Hannah Lozada

A 12-year-old boy and a 20-year old man were arrested and charged for shooting and murdering a Sonic Drive-In employee in Keene, Texas. On Saturday evening, May 13, 2023, the shooting occurred at the 300 block of South Old Betsy Road. According to the police, a man named Angel Gomez drove his car to the Sonic, and began behaving in a “disorderly” manner. Matthew Davis, a 32-year-old Sonic Employee soon confronted Gomez. James Kidd, a Kenne Police Chief stated on the NBC Dallas-Fort Worth that Gomez was urinating in the parking lot, which caused Davis to confront him for it. Gomez and Davis began to argue, which resulted in a physical fight. 

The Keene Police state on NBC News that during the fight, the 12-year-old boy, a passenger in Gomez’s car, allegedly “retrieved a firearm and fired multiple shots, striking [Matthew Davis].” Kidd states that the weapon used at the scene looked like an “AR-style” rifle and that “at least six shots” were fired and hit Davis. The police also state that the shooting wasn’t racially motivated or gang-related. 

The police were called around 9:40 p.m. and when they arrived at the scene, Gomez and the boy were nowhere to be found. The officers found Davis lying in the parking lot, suffering from his wounds.  The police airlifted Davis to Harris Methodist Hospital, where he died shortly after. Gomez apparently returned to the scene and was arrested on the spot. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies located the boy in Rio Vista, about 20 to 22 minutes and 13.2 to 14.8 miles away from the scene of the shooting. The boy was arrested and the guns in his possession were confiscated by the police. 

Davis’ family created a GoFundMe page to help raise money for funeral costs and to support his family and 10-year-old son. The fundraiser originally had a $16,500 goal, but over 700 people have surpassed this to raise over $26,000 dollars. 

According to ABC News, a Sonic spokesperson spoke about the case, “…The franchise is cooperating fully with local authorities as they conduct their investigation.” Hopefully justice will be served for Davis and his family.