FORT WORTH, Texas — Inside Golden Gloves Youth Center in Fort Worth’s Northside community, Tuesday night’s boxing practice was heavy.
Coaches and fighters of all ages comforted each other after one of their longtime coaches and mentors was shot and killed in a northwest Fort Worth house Monday night.
Family members identified the shooting victim at Joe Guzman.
According to the Fort Worth Police Department, an underage male family member is accused of shooting and killing the 60-year-old victim after a verbal argument between them that turned physical.
Officers arrived at the home along the 3300 block of Ray Simon Drive and rendered aid to the victim, police said. Guzman died at the scene. The juvenile suspect was arrested and taken to the juvenile detention center.
“It’s very sad,” said Fort Worth PD public information officer Buddy Calzada. “Not just when you lose a life, but when you have relatives involved like this.”
FWPD didn’t release the boy’s age or his relationship with Guzman. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office hadn’t released the victim’s name or age.
Joe Basan, vice president of the Texas Golden Gloves Youth Center, told WFAA that he knew Guzman for more than two decades. Guzman coached at the center for more than 25 years, Basan said.
“It’s tragic,” Basan said. “I can’t believe that it happened to him. We’re used to seeing him every day.”
Arturo Ortega, who was coached by Guzman, told WFAA that Guzman was in his life since the day he was born and even coached Ortega’s father.
"It’s not just a coach it’s not just a trainer he’s my family, I see him like a grandpa figure,” Ortega said.
Ortega said Guzman was always there to lend a helping hand, and throughout the years, even drove Ortega to baseball practices when his parents were working.
Basan said Guzman mentored and coached several fighters who went on to become professional boxers.
“Golden Gloves without him, isn’t gonna be the same,” Basan said. “It’s gonna affect all of us.”