9-year-old boy recovering after being shot in front yard of home on New Year’s Eve

SAN ANTONIO – A New Year’s celebration turned tragic for a family when a 9-year-old boy was struck by a stray bullet just after midnight.

The shooting happened around midnight Thursday at a home off Delmar Street near Interstate 10 on the East Side.

Police said the boy was in his front yard when he was hit by gunfire in his lower body. Police are still investigating the source of the bullet.

Sebastian, described as a friendly and energetic boy, was outside when the bullet hit him in the leg.

“I heard him scream, so I turned around, and he was running inside,” his mother, Gina Martinez, said. “When I looked down at his pants, it looked like something was burning.”

Sebastian was rushed to the hospital, where surgeons removed the bullet and stitched his injuries.

“He doesn’t want to come outside for a little bit. But other than that, he’s pretty brave. He took it. He is pretty tough,” Martinez said.

The bullet, which penetrated about an inch into Sebastian’s leg, was handed over to the police for further investigation. Despite warnings issued by San Antonio police about celebratory gunfire, no arrests have been made.

State Rep. Liz Campos had proposed a study on celebratory gunfire, but it stalled in the Texas Legislature. She plans to re-file for the 2027 session, aiming to establish a system for reporting gunfire to aid police investigations. Sebastian is now home and recovering, but the incident has left him traumatized.