The Brief
- A 35-year-old man was shot and killed by a relative at a family baptism celebration in Balch Springs.
- The suspect, a 19-year-old man, was detained at the scene and admitted to the shooting, claiming self-defense.
- The shooting reportedly occurred after the victim confronted the suspect about firing a handgun earlier in the evening.
BALCH SPRINGS, Texas – A family gathering celebrating a baptism turned deadly in Balch Springs when a man was shot and killed during a fight with a relative, police said.
Deadly baptism celebration
What we know:
Cristian Gabriel Montes, 35, was found with apparent gunshot wounds at a home in the 3900 block of Peachtree Road shortly after 12:26 a.m., on July 27, 2025, according to the Balch Springs Police Department.
Officers arrested Leonardo Asis Campos Torres, 19, at the scene after witnesses identified him as the shooter. Campos and Montes are known to be family members and were attending a large gathering to celebrate the baptism of Montes’ son.…