The quiet neighborhood near W. 13th Street in Pueblo, Colorado, jolted awake at 2:49 a.m. when the pulse of gunfire shattered the night. According to the Pueblo Police Department, their ShotSpotter system registered 27 rounds in rapid succession. At nearly the same moment, dispatchers began receiving calls of two people shot in the residential block near El Pueblo Pride Park.
Officers found two injured victims at the scene and transported them to a nearby hospital. Hours later, at 10:20 a.m., the younger of the two succumbed to his wounds. He was identified by the Pueblo County Coroner’s Office as 21‑year‑old Eric Torres, a Pueblo resident whose life ended far too soon. The second victim remains hospitalized and is reported to be in stable condition.
Police believe the shooting was targeted, and they currently have no suspect leads to share. Investigators from the Crimes Against Persons and Crime Scene Investigations units have combed the scene, collecting shell casings and conducting neighborhood interviews in the hope of piecing together what led to the deadly incident. Authorities say there is no ongoing threat to the general public.
The timing of this tragedy carries an added sting: it represents the city’s 12th homicide of the year, coming fewer than thirty minutes after another fatal shooting on a separate block. At this point last year Pueblo had 17 homicides, putting this year’s rise in early morning violence into stark perspective.
Friends and neighbors of Eric describe him as a kind‑hearted young man, full of potential and familiar in the community as someone who brought brightness to even ordinary days. His death has left loved ones reeling—not just mourning his loss, but also demanding justice and answers in a community once again grappling with the pain of violence. These early morning hours now bear another painful memory.
As the investigation continues, police are urging anyone with information to come forward—whether directly to the Pueblo Police Department or anonymously via Pueblo Crime Stoppers at (719) 542‑STOP (7867). While the work of evidence and interviews goes on, the grief echoes through this Pueblo neighborhood, not just for a life lost but for the ripple effect it sends: a friendly face missing, a family changed forever, and neighbors holding onto hope that someone, somewhere, will share what they know.
In a city trying to heal, this latest fatal shooting is a reminder that violence doesn’t wait for the daylight. It strikes at all hours and leaves scars long after the echoes of gunshots fade. For Eric Torres and his family, friends, and community, the longing now is for answers, accountability, and peace.