SAN ANTONIO — In a poignant twist of fate, a night intended to be a celebration of local culture turned tragic, with two people now facing charges following the shooting death of 22-year-old Azariah Joshua Rosas Feliciano. The incident, which police say occurred just before 12:30 a.m. on April 27 as Feliciano was leaving a Fiesta event, has finally seen significant developments in the ongoing investigation.
At the time of the fatal shooting, Feliciano was with friends, retreating from the festivities in the bed of a pickup truck. His mother, April, noted that it was his first Fiesta celebration as an adult. However, the night took a tragic turn when Feliciano offered a ride to two women who had earlier gotten into an altercation with the individuals who would become his assailants. “I am assuming they got to a red light where the suspects were,” April recounted.
As they were driving along Travis Street, near Main Avenue, the truck carrying Feliciano and his friends passed the group of three men. Unknown to them, the situation was dangerously escalating. Two men from the group pulled handguns and fired shots at the truck. Both women and Feliciano were hit in what became a catastrophic sequence of events. Feliciano succumbed to his injuries later in the hospital, while the women survived their life-threatening injuries.
The significant break in the investigation came after video footage captured on a cellphone by the women helped identify the suspects. This crucial piece of evidence led to several tips via Crime Stoppers. By October, authorities had made a significant arrest — 19-year-old Muslim Abdalridha. Another suspect has been identified and taken into custody, though his name remains undisclosed at this moment.
“I just honestly want to know why,” April expressed her devastation. She reiterated that the attackers had no prior acquaintance with her son, making the motive behind the shooting even more baffling and the loss more painful.
Legal proceedings are moving forward, and April is hopeful for justice. However, she is acutely aware that no outcome will bring back her son who would have turned 23 the following month and is mourned not just by his family but by a niece he will never meet.
April also touched on a broader issue— the prevalence of gun violence among young people. “It’s kids shooting and not even caring who is around,” she lamented, painting a grim picture of the urgent and escalating crisis of gun-related incidents among youth.
In a final note of poignancy amidst their immeasurable loss, Feliciano’s family finds solace in knowing that he saved lives even in death through organ donation, benefiting at least eight other individuals.
As the legal processes unfold, and a family continues to grieve, the broader San Antonio community is also left to reckon with the recurring specter of gun violence that turns celebratory public gatherings into scenes of despair.