PALATKA, Fla. — A Putnam County jury convicted a “Young Guns” member of first-degree murder following a two-day trial in the 2023 shooting that killed one person and injured two others.
, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, was found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a juvenile delinquent. All charges carried a firearm enhancement.
The State Attorney’s Office says he faces a mandatory life sentence for the murder conviction. Judge Alicia Washington will pronounce sentence at a later date.
On June 30, 2023, Gomez-Hernandez, 16 years old at the time, drove to a planned fight on Kane Road in Palatka and opened fire, striking three people. One victim died while being rushed to the hospital. The other two suffered serious injuries and continue to experience long-term effects.
Gomez-Hernandez’s vehicle crashed near the scene and was left behind. A search warrant executed on the vehicle turned up a cell phone belonging to Gomez-Hernandez, a black ski mask and a loaded handgun. Cartridge casings recovered at the scene matched the handgun found in the vehicle.
DNA analysis by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement linked Gomez-Hernandez to the crime. Lab results showed his DNA profile matched samples taken from the steering wheel, the handgun and the ski mask.
State Attorney R.J. Larizza identified the defendant as a member of a group called “Young Guns”, which he described as responsible for a significant portion of local gun violence.
“The defendant is part of a violent group of young people who show an absolute disdain for the sanctity of life,” Larizza said. “They must be removed from our communities for as long as the law allows.”
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