FROM SUBMITTED REPORTS

One man is dead and two others are injured after an early morning shooting on River Road.

San Marcos Police Department responded to a residence in the 1700 block of River Rd. at 2:13 a.m. after a report that a person at the address was shot in the head. The caller reported three men, all wearing black, came to the home with a gun, shots were fired and the suspects drove away.

Officers were able to locate the suspects’ vehicle, a silver Toyota Avalon. Officers stopped the vehicle and took four males suspects into custody. The suspects range in age from 17 to 21. A handgun was discovered in a search of the car.

The body of 21-year-old Joel Espino was found at the residence on River Rd. with an apparent gunshot wound. A second weapon, a stolen rifle, was found at the home.

A short time later, two men arrived at Central Texas Medical Center with gunshot wounds. One victim was transferred to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin the other has been released from CTMC with a gunshot to the shoulder. The condition of the victim at Brackenridge is unknown.

Police believe this incident may have started as an attempted robbery and escalated to shooting between the people in the residence and the suspects. There are also reports that the residence is a known\ drug location.

Multiple suspects, witnesses and victims are currently being interviewed and the residence is an active crime scene. Hays County Narcotics Task Force and Department of Public Safety Crime Lab are assisting with the investigation.

There appears to be no ongoing danger to the public, city officials said late Monday afternoon.

