12-Year-Old Boy Behind Bars For Shooting Death Of Employee At Sonic Drive-In

Keene, TX – A 12-year-old boy has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of an employee at a Sonic Drive-In restaurant over the weekend.

The incident occurred at approximately 9:40 p.m. on May 13 at the fast-food joined located in the 300-block of South Old Betsy Road, the Keene Police Department (KPD) said in a press release the following day.

Several passengers in a vehicle out in the parking lot were allegedly acting “disorderly” and drew the attention of the Sonic employees, according to police.

When 32-year-old Sonic worker Matthew Davis spotted one member of the rowdy bunch urinating in the parking lot, he headed out to confront him, KPD Chief James Kidd told KXAS.

“The argument soon became physical,” the KPD said.

That’s when a 12-year-old passenger inside the vehicle suddenly grabbed a gun and fired off multiple rounds, hitting Davis, according to investigators.

The boy and the suspect who had been fighting with Davis then fled the scene.

The adult suspect was later identified by police as 20-year-old Angel Gomez.

Keene police responded to the restaurant after receiving 911 calls about a shooting and arrived to find Davis suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Officers rendered aid to the victim until emergency medical personnel arrived at the scene.

Davis was subsequently airlifted to Harris Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The KPD said Gomez returned to the scene while the investigation was underway and that he was taken into custody at that time.

Police tracked the 12-year-old gunman down at a location in Rio Vista, where they took him into custody and also allegedly recovered multiple firearms.

Gomez and the boy – whose identity was not released by police due to his age – have both been charged with murder.

“We are saddened to learn about the tragedy involving a franchised team member in Keene, TX,” Sonic said in a statement to KXAS. “The franchisee is cooperating fully with local authorities as they conduct their investigation.”

Davis leaves behind his wife and his 10-year-old son, according to a fundraising page established to help his family in the wake of their loss.

The fund has raised more than $26,000 at publication time.