Police say a gas station argument led to gunfire that struck a pregnant teen and killed her unborn child.
DALLAS, TX — Two suspects charged with capital murder after a Dallas shooting killed an unborn baby now face possible deportation after federal immigration officials said both entered the United States illegally.
The case has moved from a late-night shooting investigation in Pleasant Grove into a capital murder case with immigration consequences. Dallas police say the May 3 gunfire followed an argument at a 7-Eleven on Buckner Boulevard. The pregnant victim survived, but her baby died after being struck in the womb, according to police and family members.
Authorities identified the suspects as 17-year-old Yeremy Alexander Zapata Aleman and 20-year-old Keyner Ariel Calero Jiron. Police said the shooting began after a dispute at the gas station near 4710 Buckner Boulevard. One victim told officers the driver of the victims’ vehicle had argued with Calero Jiron before the group left the store. The suspects then followed the victims’ vehicle north on Buckner Boulevard, police said. Surveillance video showed gunfire directed at the vehicle as both vehicles moved along the road. Officers were called about 12:40 a.m. to the 4700 block of Wimbelton Way, where they found three victims. One had been shot multiple times. “Why in the world do they have guns?” Cynthia Trevino, the pregnant victim’s grandmother, said.
Trevino said her granddaughter is 17 and was 22 weeks pregnant when the shooting happened. The teen was taken to a hospital, where doctors found that the unborn child had been shot. Trevino said the baby was delivered by emergency C-section and lived long enough for family members to hold him before he died. “It was a blessing for us, and they took it away from us,” Trevino said. Police said another vehicle traveling south on Buckner Boulevard was also hit by gunfire, but that driver was not hurt. Investigators have not said whether either suspect knew the pregnant victim or whether anyone in the victims’ vehicle was armed. The exact number of shots fired has not been released.
Police said officers later found Calero Jiron’s vehicle about 6:20 a.m. and tried to stop it. Calero Jiron drove away, ran several red lights and got away from officers near Peak Street and Worth Street, according to police. Officers found the vehicle again about 6:50 a.m. on Chariot Drive. Police said the suspects tried to flee again before the car crashed into a curb in the 5000 block of Buckner Boulevard. Officers arrested both suspects after the crash. Police said they found cocaine in Calero Jiron’s pockets and MDMA in the vehicle near the passenger side where Zapata Aleman had been sitting. Investigators also said illegal firearms were found in the vehicle.
Calero Jiron faces nine charges, including capital murder, five felony aggravated assault counts, evading arrest, possession of cocaine and unlawful carrying of a weapon. Zapata Aleman faces seven charges, including capital murder, five felony aggravated assault counts and possession of cocaine. The capital murder counts stem from the baby’s death. If convicted of capital murder in Texas, a defendant can face life in prison without parole or the death penalty, depending on how prosecutors handle the case and the defendant’s eligibility. Court dates were not immediately available Monday night, and prosecutors had not announced whether they would seek the death penalty. The suspects also face immigration proceedings after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said both were in the country unlawfully.
ICE said Calero Jiron is a Nicaraguan national who entered the United States illegally in 2022. The agency said Zapata Aleman is a citizen of Honduras but did not release the same level of detail about his immigration case. The immigration action is separate from the criminal charges in Dallas County. In cases like this, criminal prosecution typically moves first while federal immigration officials can lodge detainers or begin removal proceedings tied to custody status. It was not immediately clear Monday whether either suspect had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Both suspects are presumed innocent unless convicted in court.
Neighbors near the shooting scene described fear after hearing gunfire in the area. Jennifer Lacy said she heard a woman scream and realized someone had been shot. “I’m like, oh God, someone else is shot,” Lacy said. Gloria Boyce said the neighborhood feels less safe than it once did. “You have to go in the house early now over here because people just started getting shot,” Boyce said. Trevino said the family is angry and grieving as the case begins. She said no punishment would bring the baby back. “They’re going to live with that for the rest of their life,” she said of the suspects.
The case remained active Monday night. Dallas police have not announced additional arrests, and the next public milestone is expected in Dallas County court as the capital murder and related felony charges move forward.
Author note: Last updated Monday, May 11, 2026.