Fort Worth gender-reveal shooting victim dies a week later, family mourns Alexa Nares Martinez

The celebration at a Fort Worth gender-reveal party ended with a hospital death and a family planning a funeral instead of a reveal. Alexa Nares Martinez, 24, died at John Peter Smith Hospital on Wednesday, and the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed her death on April 18.

Martinez was one of five adults wounded in the shooting at the 5200 block of Shackleford Street, where Fort Worth police said East Division officers were called at about 10:44 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Her family remembered her as someone who brought warmth wherever she went, saying in her obituary that she had a “loving spirit” and a “vibrant, bubbly personality that brought joy to everyone she met.”

The violence began after a verbal confrontation at the party, where children were present. Police said 22-year-old Jose Manuel Garcia repeatedly displayed a handgun in his waistband and threatened another attendee. Officers and later reporting said guests tried to remove Garcia from the gathering because of the gun and the children nearby, but the argument escalated fast.

Investigators said Garcia pointed his weapon at another man, who drew his own gun out of fear for his safety. An exchange of gunfire followed. Police believe Garcia fired toward the yard, where four people were struck, while investigators have not said whether any bullets from the second gun hit other victims.

The other wounded victims were two men and two women in their 20s. One person suffered a gunshot wound to the head and underwent immediate surgery. The remaining injuries included gunshot wounds to the legs, a foot, and a graze wound, underscoring how quickly a family party turned into a multiple-victim crime scene.

Garcia later arrived at a hospital in his own vehicle before being arrested by Fort Worth police. He was charged with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, though updated charge information was not immediately available as the case continued to unfold.

What began as a gender-reveal gathering became another grim reminder of how fast a dispute over a gun can wreck a room full of family and children. For Martinez’s loved ones, the celebration is now defined by a death, not a reveal.