Texas Man Charged in Road Rage Shooting That Critically Injured 10-Year-Old Girl
A 41-year-old San Antonio man is in custody facing multiple felony charges after allegedly opening fire on a family’s minivan during a road rage incident, striking a 10-year-old girl in the stomach. Authorities arrested Bryan Arceo on Friday following the confrontation on the city’s Northwest Side, which left the child, identified as Alisa Gates, fighting for her life.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Timberhill Drive and Wurzbach Road as the Gates family was driving Alisa to school. According to the arrest affidavit, the altercation began when Arceo backed his vehicle out of a driveway in front of the family’s van. The girl’s mother, who was driving, honked her horn to warn him of a potential collision. Police allege that Arceo responded by aggressively brake-checking the family before pulling alongside their vehicle at a red light.
Investigators state that Arceo pointed a handgun at the van and fired a single round. The bullet pierced the vehicle’s door and struck Alisa, who was sitting in the backseat, in the abdomen. Her father, Jason Gates, told local reporters that they initially did not realize she had been hit until his wife asked the girl if she was okay. Alisa was rushed to a local hospital where she underwent emergency surgery and remains in critical condition.
Arceo was apprehended shortly after the shooting. He faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of endangering a child. Police revealed that Arceo’s own ex-wife and daughter were inside his vehicle at the time of the alleged shooting. His ex-wife told investigators she witnessed him rack the slide of the gun before firing. Arceo remains held at the Bexar County Jail with bonds totaling $375,000.
While road rage incidents have seen a statistical rise across Texas in recent years, defense attorneys in similar cases often argue that drivers may perceive honking or close following as aggressive acts, potentially triggering a defensive, albeit disproportionate, reaction. However, authorities emphasized that the victims in this case were merely attempting to avoid an accident during a routine morning commute. The investigation is ongoing as prosecutors prepare to present the case to a grand jury.
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