(Seguin) — The Seguin community continues to mourn the tragic loss of a local mother who was killed in a shooting Thursday afternoon while putting groceries in her vehicle in the Walmart parking lot.
According to the Seguin Police Department, officers were dispatched at approximately 4:51 p.m. Thursday after receiving multiple reports of shots fired in the parking lot of Walmart, located at 550 S. Hwy. 123 Bypass.
When officers arrived, they discovered 35-year-old Katrina Wheeler suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say a second victim, Wheeler’s 37-year-old brother, Pito, also suffered gunshot wounds during the incident. He was treated at the scene by Seguin EMS and transported by air ambulance to a San Antonio-area hospital. Authorities have since reported that his injuries are considered non-life-threatening.
Investigators allege that the shooter was Katrina Wheeler’s soon-to-be ex-husband, 42-year-old John Wheeler of Seguin.
According to police, the suspect fled the scene before officers arrived. At approximately 5:19 p.m., the suspect’s vehicle was located outside the Seguin city limits by the New Berlin City Marshal’s Office. Guadalupe County Sheriff’s deputies, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, New Berlin deputy marshals, and members of the Seguin Police Department’s CASE Unit assisted in a low-speed pursuit.
The pursuit ended in the 3000 block of FM 775, where John Wheeler was taken into custody without further incident. Authorities say two young children were inside the suspect’s vehicle at the time he was apprehended.
The shooting has left behind a grieving family and five children, ranging in age from 5 to 15 years old, who are now facing life without their mother.
Family members have established a GoFundMe campaign titled “In Memory of Katrina (Torres) Wheeler” to help cover funeral expenses and provide ongoing support for her children.
In a statement shared through the fundraising campaign, family members said they are facing not only overwhelming grief. but also the financial burdens associated with funeral costs and providing stability for Katrina’s children.
The family says donations will be used for funeral expenses, daily living necessities, and continued support for the children in the months and years ahead.
Those wishing to contribute can do so through the GoFundMe page established in Katrina’s memory.
The Seguin Police Department says the investigation remains ongoing. Assistance in the case was provided by the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, Texas Game Wardens, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Berlin City Marshal’s Office.