Houston, Texas – A man has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated assault after allegedly shooting at his family members, whom he believed were putting a curse on him.
Wilman Sandoval, 23, opened fire on Sunday afternoon, according to court records. Investigators are looking into whether there were any prior incidents leading up to the shooting. The victims, identified as Heidi Vázquez and her brother Christian Vázquez, are in stable condition.
According to preliminary court records Sandoval got up from the couch and began firing a black handgun at his family members in their Houston apartment. The sheriff’s office has charged him with three counts of aggravated assault. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez stated that Sandoval believed his family was practicing witchcraft on him.
The shooting occurred at around 4 p.m on Sunday. Deputies responded to a 911 call reporting the incident. The sheriff’s office has recovered the pistol and is now searching for additional witnesses to the shooting.
Piecing together information from court records, the sheriff’s office, and prosecutors, it has been determined that Sandoval allegedly shot Heidi Vázquez multiple times and then turned the gun on her brother, Christian Vázquez. Wimer Sandoval, the accused shooter’s brother, was also threatened but not shot. Both Heidi and Christian Vázquez are in stable condition, with Heidi in critical condition as of Tuesday.
During Sandoval’s probable cause hearing on Monday, a judge set his bond at $250,000. Prosecutors and the sheriff’s office have not been able to determine a specific motive for the shooting, despite Sandoval’s belief regarding witchcraft. Sandoval is scheduled to appear in court on January 19, and the public defender’s office is representing him.
The investigation is ongoing, as authorities try to piece together all the facts and determine what led to the shooting.