Special to the PRESS
Two individuals were taken into custody on Sunday evening after what officials with the Cameron County
District Attorney’s Office are describing as a disturbing incident involving a high-powered firearm near the
Jaime J. Zapata Memorial Boat Ramp located on Hwy. 48, a popular public area frequented by families and
community members.
According to a press release from the Cameron County Constable Precinct 1 Office, at approximately 7:30
p.m. on July 20, 2025, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air & Marine Operations agent
observed a white GMC truck parked along State Highway 48. The passenger, later identified as Esteban Luis
Angel Macias, was seen standing outside the vehicle while holding an AR-style rifle.
As the CBP agent attempted to make contact, he reportedly witnessed and heard Macias discharge the
firearm in the direction of the Jaime Zapata Boat Ramp. At the time, the public space was occupied by
families, pedestrians, and vehicles, according to the Constable’s report.
The driver of the truck, Leonardo Perez, fled the scene, leading law enforcement officers on a pursuit
westbound on SH 48 through the Seatrium Amfels facility and ultimately eastbound, where the vehicle came
to a stop approximately half a mile from the boat ramp.
Macias and Perez were safely apprehended by deputies from the Cameron County Precinct 1 Constable’s
Office. No injuries were reported during the incident or the subsequent arrest, according to Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz. Charges have been filed against both individuals.
“We are incredibly thankful that no lives were lost and no injuries occurred during this reckless act. Let
me be clear — discharging a firearm in the direction of a public gathering is not just dangerous, it’s
criminal,” said Saenz. “My office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law. The safety of
Cameron County families is — and will always be — one of our top priorities.”
As this investigation proceeds, the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement
agencies remind the public that actions endangering the lives of others will be met with swift and severe
consequences.
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