One Man Arrested, Another At Large Following Birthday Party Shooting in South Texas

An argument at a family birthday party in South Texas Saturday evening has left four men dead and another injured.

The Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed that four men, ranging in age from 20 to 62, are dead after a shooting in Taft, about 18 miles north of Corpus Christi. A fifth man was shot, but was airlifted to a Corpus Christi hospital following the shooting.

According to reports, an argument broke out between two families during a birthday party for a one-year-old.

DPS has confirmed the identities of the victims: 62-year old Juan Espinoza Sr. and his three grandsons 20-year-old Juan Sandoval III, 22-year-old Jeremy Sandoval and 25-year-old Nicky Sandoval.

Espinoza's son and the other victims' father, Juan Espinoza Jr., 43, was also shot, but was last reported as stable and expected to live after receiving medical treatment in Corpus Christi.

Details of what led to the shooting are unknown at this time, but a spokesperson for DPS said the argument was about "something real small, and it escalated real quickly to where guns were involved."

Since Saturday, officials have captured one of the shooters. Ronnie Rodriguez Jr. has been booked into San Patricio County Jail on a charge of deadly conduct – discharging a firearm. Bond for the 20-year-old has been set at $50,000.

His father, Ronnie Rodriguez Sr., was also a shooter and is still at large. Authorities are asking the public to contact the San Patricio County Sheriff's Office at (361) 364-9600 with any information.

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