'He's bleeding everywhere:' 911 calls released in Boone student's death

No motive or suspect identified months later

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Recently released 911 calls shed some light on the aftermath of a shooting that killed a 15-year-old Boone High School student as he was walking to school, even as a motive remains unidentified months later.

Two people called to report the shooting on Waldo Street at Kaley Avenue around 6:40 a.m. on Dec. 18. One was a neighbor who heard the gunshots and the other was a person who saw Alejandro Vargas Martinez on the ground after the shooting.

"Somebody called for help," the neighbor said, adding that he heard what sounded like a pistol.

The neighbor watched through a window as two people got out of their car to help Martinez.

"I was driving and I saw someone in the street bleeding. I don’t know what happened," the caller said.

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The man speculated that the teen had been shot. By that point, Martinez was unconscious and not moving.

"No, I don’t know how to explain in English, but he’s almost dying," the caller said.

Less than a minute later, the man said Martinez had stopped breathing.

"He’s laid down and he’s bleeding. He’s bleeding everywhere," the caller said. "So, I don’t know. He probably was shot."

Martinez's mother, Elsa Martinez, said she was on the phone with her son before his death and the last thing he said to her before the call dropped was, "They’re going to kill me."

She said Tuesday that she's hopeful an arrest will be made.

"I just want, I want  justice. That’s all I want," Elsa Martinez said. "He was a good son. He was my friend."

Since the shooting, surveillance video has been released of a vehicle of interest that could be connected to the shooting and a $15,000 Crimeline reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest.

Orange County deputies haven't publicly identified a suspect or a motive but Crimeline Executive Director Barb Bergin said they've received 37 tips.

Lately, though, the tips have been coming in slowly.

"As an old homicide detective in my past, it is frustrating for all of us that we’re not getting more information, so I’d urge anybody to please make the call," said Burgin.  

She’s urging people to come forward and help the family find peace and closure.

"Do you remember anything that morning? Did you hear yelling screaming, anything -- a car leaving at a high rate of speed, a car that didn’t belong in that neighborhood? Something," Burgin said.  

To submit a tip, call 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).


About the Authors

Jerry Askin is an Atlanta native who came to News 6 in March 2018 with an extensive background in breaking news.

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