A Fort Bliss soldier has been taken into custody regarding the shooting death of another soldier that occurred in February in East El Paso, according to a statement from El Paso Police.
Authorities in El Paso have taken Howard Chevard Dyron Brock, 21, into custody on Monday, June 9, facing murder charges with a bond set at $1 million, linked to the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Edward Daquan Smith.
Reports indicate that a 24-year-old man, Eric Lamarr Mathis, was taken into custody in March in connection with Smith’s murder.
Fort Bliss has officially acknowledged that Brock, Mathis, and Smith served as soldiers at the Army installation.
Fort Bliss has reported that Brock serves as a unit supply specialist with the 1st Armoured Division, Mathis holds the rank of specialist with the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defence Command, and Smith, the victim, was a private in the 1st Armoured Division.
A shooting incident unfolded just before midnight on Friday, Feb. 28, in the 2100 block of Setting Sun in East El Paso, following an altercation involving Brock, Mathis, and Smith, as detailed in court documents.
Court documents reveal that witnesses reported Smith was approached by Brock and Mathis outside a house party at a short-term rental property.
According to court documents, Brock, Mathis, and Smith were involved in a confrontation that led to multiple shots being fired.
Court documents reveal that Mathis sustained injuries and was taken to the El Paso Emergency Room, while officers found Smith unresponsive on the sidewalk, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities confirmed his death at the location.
A 6-year-old boy, the stepson of Mathis, reportedly witnessed the tragic incident, stating, “Daddy shot the gun,” and “Daddy shot the guy,” as revealed in court documents.
Authorities in El Paso have successfully apprehended Brock, thanks to a collaborative effort between the Police Crimes Against Persons Unit and the Army Criminal Investigations Division. He has been booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility.
