'Hoping to save another life' | Four years after their son's death, Helotes family spreads awareness about gun safety
HELOTES, Texas — Sunday marked four years since a family lost their son to gun violence in Helotes. All these years later, they are still left with questions surrounding the case.
According to a police report by Helotes PD, on November 17, 2020, 23-year-old Robert Fluellen was shot in the stomach with a shotgun outside a home off Beverly Hills. The report states witnesses claimed he accidentally shot himself. However, the family feels otherwise.
"He was wrongfully taken from this earth and he deserves some kind of respect as a homicide victim," The victim's mother, Kerry Barrera said.
Police investigated the case as a criminal negligent homicide and had a suspect named in the reports. However, after forwarding the findings to the Bexar County District Attorney's Office, they dismissed the case.
"Why was anybody not arrested that night?" Barrera asked. "There are so many unanswered questions. Why was the gun left out, who loaded the gun?"
The family was outraged and after bringing those concerns straight to the DA's office, they finally met in person with Gonzales last year. They said he explained to them they did not have enough evidence to move forward with prosecution.
The statute of limitations for the charge expired last year.
"It was hard to walk out of there knowing nothing was going to come of it," Barrera said.
While they are hoping a witness may come forward to change the course of the investigation, the family has decided to shift their energy towards activism. They now hand out small flyers with four rules of gun safety.
"We've been able to share and spread, hoping to save another life," Barrera said.
Barrera said even four years later, the pain of losing a child never fades but she is leaning on her faith and holding onto memories.
"Missing him, each and every day," Barrera said. "He was the oldest of my five, he taught me to be the mom that I am today."
The family said they have sought justice through a civil wrongful death lawsuit.
KENS 5 reached out to Helotes Police regarding the status of the investigation Sunday and did not hear back prior to the story airing.
