PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A Putnam County jury has found a defendant guilty on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, in connection with a 2023 shooting that left one person dead and two others seriously injured.
Ramon Gomez-Hernandez Jr., who was 16 at the time of the incident, was convicted after a two-day trial of first-degree murder with a firearm, two counts of attempted second-degree murder with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a juvenile delinquent.
The charges stem from a June 30, 2023 shooting on Kane Road in Palatka, where authorities said Gomez-Hernandez drove to a planned fight and opened fire on three people. One victim died while being transported to the hospital by a witness, while the other two suffered serious injuries with lasting effects.
Investigators said the vehicle used in the shooting crashed and was abandoned at the scene. During a search of the vehicle, detectives recovered a cell phone belonging to Gomez-Hernandez, a black ski mask, and a handgun with ammunition that matched shell casings found at the scene.
Forensic testing conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement linked DNA from the steering wheel, firearm, and ski mask to the defendant.
State Attorney R.J. Larizza described the defendant as part of a violent group referred to as the “Young Guns” and emphasized the impact of gun violence on the community.
The case was investigated by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Chief of Homicide Jason Lewis and Assistant State Attorney Alexander Gilewicz prosecuted the case.
Circuit Judge Alicia Washington presided over the trial and is expected to sentence Gomez-Hernandez at a later date. He faces a mandatory life sentence for the first-degree murder conviction.