SAN ANTONIO – Two men were arrested in connection with a deadly West Side apartment shooting investigators believe was motivated by revenge, according to two arrest affidavits.
Jaylon Barnes, 19, and Tayvarie Brunson, 18, each face a murder charge in the shooting death of Justice Xavier Hansel Lee, 25, Bexar County records show.
San Antonio police were dispatched just after 6 p.m. on March 8 at the Cable Ranch Apartments in the 8600 block of Waters Edge Drive.
Lee had arrived at an apartment unit to visit a resident he referred to as his grandmother. Barnes also told investigators he went to the same apartment to visit his grandmother, who lived at the unit, according to an arrest affidavit.
When Barnes and Brunson entered the apartment, the affidavit states that both had firearms and began shooting at Lee.
Lee, who was also armed, returned fire as he fled the apartment. Authorities said Lee was shot and killed as he ran toward the parking lot, where he had parked his vehicle.
Barnes’ younger brother was wounded in the exchange of gunfire and was taken to a hospital, the affidavit states.
The document states witnesses reported that they saw Barnes, Brunson and the wounded brother flee to another apartment unit, where Barnes’ older brother lives.
The affidavit states that authorities obtained a search warrant for the apartment and found two firearms inside. Ballistic testing showed that spent shell casings found at the scene matched the firearms recovered from the apartment.
Surveillance video obtained the day after the shooting showed Barnes pointing a firearm as he approached the initial apartment, the affidavit states.
A separate camera captured Brunson running toward the same apartment with a rifle, the affidavit states.
Barnes was interviewed by homicide detectives the day of the shooting. He admitted to being at the scene and having an argument with Lee, but denied involvement in the shooting, the affidavit states.
Brunson fled the scene and had not been interviewed by detectives despite investigators’ attempts to speak with him, the affidavit states.
During Barnes’ interview, he told police he had been involved in an unrelated civil disturbance about an hour before the shooting and that police had responded. The disturbance was documented.
Body-worn camera footage from responding officers shows both Barnes and Brunson speaking with officers during the disturbance, the affidavit states. Both suspects were wearing the same clothing during the disturbance that they were wearing at the time of the shooting.
Further investigation revealed that Lee was involved in a “failed robbery” in 2024, where he was wounded, and his accomplice was killed, the affidavit states. The accomplice was a family member of Barnes and Brunson.
The affidavit states Lee was charged with the death of his accomplice, and when he was released from jail, Barnes and Brunson “became upset and sought revenge.”
Jail records show Barnes and Brunson were booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Saturday.
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