'Menace' 17-year-old accused of shooting teens with pellet gun held on $4M bond

Friday, May 12, 2023
CYPRESS, Texas (KTRK) -- An alleged serial pellet gun shooter was arrested on Wednesday after several teenagers were injured in a series of shootings in northwest Harris County.

Officials said 17-year-old Jordan Balderas was a "menace" to kids walking home from school near Rustic Lake Lane and Fry Road in Cypress. That intersection is near Cypress Springs High School and Hopper Middle School.
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Balderas faced a judge in probable cause court Thursday evening who ordered him to be held on a combined $4 million bond. That's double what the prosecution asked for.

He currently faces four charges, instead of six, stemming from shootings in Cypress between May 4 and 8. The judge said there is a lack of probable cause for two counts of injury to a child, but she moved forward with setting bond for four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Balderas' court-appointed attorney asked for a $40,000 bond because the gun shot pellets, not bullets. Balderas was not on probation or parole when the shootings happened, and he'll be a father soon. The prosecution asked for a combined $2 million bond after detailing the injuries of the students - who are between 12 and 16 - that Balderas is accused of targeting.

A 17-year-old girl was shot in the neck. On May 5, a 14-year-old girl was shot in the head, and a 12-year-old boy was shot in the shoulder. Days later, on May 8, a 16-year-old girl was shot in the head, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
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If he posts bail, Balderas will be banned from drugs, alcohol, weapons, being around anyone under 17, or going near places where children normally gather. He'll also be put on house arrest and consent to electronic monitoring.






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