IND: Gang shooting connected with April 2005 incident

[Christina Marie]

Gang shooting connected with April 2005 incident

Tuesday, the search for pieces of evidence continued at the crime scene, while an entire community was left to pick up the pieces following the death of the 14-year-old student

Posted: 02/21/2006 06:15 pm
Last Updated: 02/21/2006 06:41 pm

Story filed by NewsCenter16 Reporter
Mark Peterson

Goshen, IN - Classmates and faculty at Goshen Middle School Tuesday were left to deal with the weekend shooting death of an eighth grade student, 14-year old Rogelio Reyes.

Reyes was killed Sunday morning in what police believe was a gang-related shooting.


It appears there are strong ties between last weekend's shooting and another Goshen gang slaying that shocked the community in April of 2005.


It just so happens, the two teens that were stuck by gunfire last weekend both had brothers who were involved in the previous incident back in April of 2005.


Tuesday, the search for pieces of evidence continued at the crime scene, while an entire community was left to pick up the pieces following the death of the 14-year-old student.


Goshen Superintendent Dr. Bruce Stahley said Tuesday of Reyes, “He was always friendly, smiling, having fun with his classmates.”


The shooting death of Reyes was something so many in Goshen, such as Rolando Sosa with Communities in Schools, had worked so hard to prevent.


Says Sosa, “Rojelio was one of the students we were working with. He had a mentor.”


The gang shooting in April of 2005 killed a Goshen High School student and served as a wake up call to the community. That's when a special mentoring program began.


Saul Rodriguez, who was wounded in Sunday's gang shooting, is the brother of the triggerman in the April 2005 incident
Says Dr. Stahley, “Some people may question, ‘why do you have gang members in school?’ Well, if they're obeying the rules, studying, working with us, respectful of us, we're going to work with those students the best we can because that's their avenue to get out of gangs.”


The blood connection
In Sunday's incident, blood ties went along with the blood shed.


Saul Rodriguez, who was wounded in Sunday's gang shooting, is the brother of the triggerman in the April 2005 incident.


Rojelio Reyes, who was killed on Sunday, has two brothers in prison for their roles in the April 2005 shooting.


Says Sosa, “I wish I could say yes, that this will not happen again, but, it is at the same time it is frustrating. But I do believe more and more in the mission, and that we're doing we're dealing with hard issues here.”


From tragedy to trial
Last month a trial was held in connection with the April 2005 shooting death.


The gunman was convicted, but of a lesser charge: reckless homicide, one that could land a maximum sentence of eight years.

Did that play a role in last weekend's shooting? Officials say it's being looked into. In this case, the court charging documents have been sealed, because of their sensitive nature.


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