HOUSTON – A Bellaire High School student that killed another student on campus was found guilty of manslaughter, according to Bellaire Police Department Assistant Chief Onesimo Lopez.
The unidentified suspect, who was 16 at the time, shot 19-year-old Cesar Cortes in the chest inside the JRTOC supply room on Jan. 14, 2020, according to officials.
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The student and another person were arrested at a convenience store nearly four hours after the shooting. The second person arrested was later released and faced no charges.
At the time, investigators said the shooting was possibly unintentional but reckless and that the suspected gunman seems to show no remorse. Police also said the manslaughter charges could be upgraded.
“At this time the evidence shows that the act was not intentional but it was reckless,” said Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg in January 2020. “So this is not an accident, because pulling a trigger on a gun whether you know if it’s loaded or not – is an intentional act. But he did not – based on the evidence we have right now – intend to kill his friend.”