LA GRANGE, Texas – A football player is in jail facing a murder charge in the shooting of a teen at a Halloween party in La Grange.
According to La Grange police, officers responded to a disturbance call at around 3 a.m. Sunday at the VFW Hall on the Fayette County Fairgrounds in La Grange.
Upon arrival, police say they found two people who had been shot: one in the back and one in the arm. Both were transported to the hospital.
Dustin Donovan Smith, 19, died at St. Mark's Hospital. The other shooting victim, Quinton Harris, was treated for minor injuries to his arm and released from Columbus Hospital.
Police say a fight at the party spilled out into the parking lot and that the suspect, Jakyle Harris, pulled out a gun and fired two shots. Officials told Local 2 the gun was recovered in a field behind Harris' home. Harris was arrested Sunday afternoon.
Texas Rangers arrested two other people -- both relatives of Harris -- and charged them with tampering with evidence. Police say the two tampered with the murder weapon and tried to destroy the clothes Harris was wearing during the shooting.
According to the Texas Rangers, the two other suspects are Jamar Glenn and Vonya Warfield.
All three suspects are currently in the Colorado County Jail.
"I think they're in a lot of pain," said Shamika Henry, a friend of Smith's. "I think both families are in a lot of pain actually because two lives have been lost. Not just one."
Harris, who lives in Weimar, is a running back on the Weimar High School football team. La Grange and Weimar are approximately 15 miles apart.
Dericka Kirby said her cousin, Jakyle Williams-Harris did nothing wrong.
"He's going through all of the trouble and his family is going through the trouble also," Kirby said. "I just think justice needs to come and let everyone know that he is innocent."
The Weimar Independent School District released a statement which read, "WISD is deeply saddened by the incident that occurred in La Grange, Texas over the weekend. The District's thoughts and sympathies go out to the families and friends of the victims. The District has no information regarding the incident other than to state that it did not occur in connection with any school function or event. Weimar ISD has no further comment at this time."
La Grange Police Chief Jackie Skelton told Local 2 this was the first murder in La Grange in 20 years.