SAN ANTONIO – Two men have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at an apartment complex on the West Side of San Antonio. According to arrest affidavits, the incident is believed to have been motivated by a desire for revenge.
The suspects, identified as Jaylon Barnes, 19, and Tayvarie Brunson, 18, each face murder charges following the shooting death of 25-year-old Justice Xavier Hansel Lee, as recorded in Bexar County records.
San Antonio police responded to a call just after 6 p.m. on March 8 at the Cable Ranch Apartments located in the 8600 block of Waters Edge Drive. Upon arrival, they found Lee who had been shot while trying to escape the apartment.
Lee was reportedly visiting a resident of the apartment whom he referred to as his grandmother. In a twist of fate, Barnes claimed he was also visiting his grandmother, who lived in the same unit. This unlikely coincidence set the stage for the tragic confrontation.
As Barnes and Brunson entered the apartment, both armed with firearms, they began shooting at Lee. Lee, who was also armed, attempted to return fire as he fled toward the parking lot where his vehicle was parked. Unfortunately, he was fatally wounded during his escape.
Tragically, during the gunfire exchange, Barnes’ younger brother was also injured and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment. Witnesses reported that following the shooting, Barnes, Brunson, and the injured brother fled to another apartment unit where Barnes’ older brother resides.
Authorities executed a search warrant for the apartment and recovered two firearms. Ballistic testing confirmed that the spent shell casings found at the shooting scene matched the firearms discovered in the apartment.
Surveillance footage from the day after the shooting revealed Barnes approaching the apartment while pointing a firearm. Another camera captured Brunson running towards the same apartment, also armed with a rifle.
Barnes was interviewed by homicide detectives on the day of the incident, where he admitted to being present at the scene and having an argument with Lee, but claimed he was not involved in the shooting. Brunson, on the other hand, fled the scene and had not yet been interviewed despite investigators’ attempts to locate him.
During his interview, Barnes mentioned he had been involved in an unrelated civil disturbance about an hour prior to the shooting, which had been documented by police. Body-worn camera footage from that incident showed both Barnes and Brunson interacting with officers, with both suspects wearing the same clothing during the disturbance as they were during the shooting.
Further investigations revealed that Lee had previously been involved in a robbery attempt in 2024 that resulted in him being shot and his accomplice being killed. This accomplice was a family member of both Barnes and Brunson, leading to a motive for revenge against Lee.
Documents indicate that Lee was charged in connection with the death of his accomplice, and following his release from jail, Barnes and Brunson sought vengeance, culminating in the tragic events of March 8.
As of now, jail records show that both Barnes and Brunson have been booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
