Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar has observed a troubling trend of guns being exchanged multiple times among teenagers and young adults, complicating criminal investigations. This pattern was evident in the recent murder case of 17-year-old Alianna Ujueta, where the suspected shooter, 18-year-old Deshawn Suggs, has not been apprehended, and the murder weapon changed hands several times before being recovered by authorities. A similar situation occurred in the 2024 shooting of another 17-year-old, Landyn Reyes, highlighting the ongoing issue of gun circulation among youth at social gatherings.

Sheriff Salazar emphasized the need for increased vigilance in gun ownership and parental awareness to address this problem. He urged parents to monitor their children’s whereabouts and associations closely and stressed that responsible gun ownership requires constant attention. In the investigation of Ujueta’s case alone, the sheriff’s office has recovered ten different firearms, underscoring the complexity of tracing weapons involved in such crimes.