North Texas Daily

Joshua Knopp and Obed Manuel // Senior Staff Writers 

LAST UPDATE: 11:07 a.m. April 16, 2014

UNT students Raymond Wax and Victor Avina were transfered to Denton County Jail this morning.  Additional assault with a deadly weapon chargers are pending against the pair, according to police. The charge involves a Denton High School student whom they allegedly shot the afternoon before the other incidents. More details to come.

Original Story:

Two UNT students were arrested by Denton Police Monday evening in connection with two BB gun shootings late Friday night.

The students, 19-year-old mechanical engineering freshman Raymond Wax and 19-year-old chemistry freshman Victor Avina, face charges of two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and are being held in lieu of  $50,000 bond each.

A UNT Police Department investigation led Denton PD to make the arrests, according to a UNT spokesperson.

The incidents took place Friday near Clark Hall at about midnight. Two female UNT students reported being shot at several times, first outside of Clark Hall and then a little more than an hour later they were shot at again outside of the Exxon on North Texas Boulevard, according to a UNT email. A man was wounded and treated after the second shooting.

In Texas persons convicted of aggravated assault face the possible penalties of a second degree felony or a first degree felony according to Texas penal code. People guilty of a second degree felony could face two to 20 years in prison and be fined up to $10,000 while a first degree felony carries a prison sentence of five to 99 years and a possible fine of up to $10,000.

The arrests came the same day UNTPD issued a warrant for Wax and Avina. According to the warrant, at about 11:15 p.m. last Friday, the women were sitting on a bench in front of Clark Hall and heard what they believed to be a shot from an air soft gun. They saw a red four-door vehicle from the direction of the shot parked at the entrance to the Sierra Apartments. A few minutes later, they heard another shot, which struck the bench they were sitting on. One of the victims yelled at the vehicle, which sped off. The women stated the vehicle was occupied by two men and identified the first three letters of the license plate as “CHJ,” according to the warrant.

Later, at 12:40 a.m. Saturday, the women said they were walking to the Exxon Gas station at 1011 North Texas Blvd. As they passed the IHOP next door, they saw a red four door vehicle exit the lot and enter the service road between IHOP and Exxon. The women then heard several shots fired in their direction from what they believed to be an air soft gun.

The vehicle pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot and parked within view of the Exxon, the warrant states. Once the women left the Exxon store, they heard an additional shot which hit a white male in his thigh and caused “profuse bleeding.” X-rays at Denton Presbyterian Hospital showed the pellet embedded in his leg. The pellet was unable to be removed because it was too close to an artery. According to the warrant, the victim stated it was a front seat passenger, who was a black male, who shot the man.

At about 12:50 a.m., UNT Police found a red Toyota Yaris parked in Lot 27, just north of Clark Hall. The vehicle’s hood was warm to the touch and police would later find it belonged to Avina. According to the warrant, the officer who found the vehicle, returned to Clark Hall to assist with the investigation and found the vehicle gone when he went back to it.

Another officer contacted Avina at his home in Aubrey. Avina said he had been in Denton earlier with Wax, who lives in Clark Hall, the warrant states.

On Sunday at 10 a.m., two other officers contacted Wax, who said he was with Avina in Avina’s car on April 12. Wax consented to the officers searching his vehicle, where they found an airsoft gun and BB pellets. Wax denied being involved in the incident, the warrant states.

On Monday, police interviewed Avina. Avina said Wax owned a BB gun and it was with him in Avina’s car the night of the incident. Avina admitted to shooting at the women in front of the gas station.

Updated: original post said Denton County Sheriff’s office issued the warrants.