MERCED, Calif. — The Merced community is grieving the heartbreaking loss of two 14-year-old boys, Xavier Barragan and Nehemiah Green, who were killed in a shooting Monday evening on East 13th Street near the Merced Behavioral Center.
Merced police responded to reports of gunfire around 7 p.m. on January 19 and found both teens unresponsive at the scene. Despite emergency response efforts, Xavier and Nehemiah were pronounced dead, marking the second and third homicides in the city this year amid a troubling increase in gun violence.
Authorities say the shooting does not appear to be gang-related. According to Sgt. Christian Lupian of the Merced Police Department, investigators are reviewing multiple witness accounts and surveillance video from the area. One version under investigation suggests the boys may have been among three juveniles allegedly involved in an attempted robbery when gunfire broke out, striking two of them. Police stress that the circumstances remain under investigation and have not been confirmed.
Memorials have formed at the site of the shooting as family members, friends, classmates, and community members gather to mourn the devastating loss of two young lives taken far too soon. Candles, flowers, and messages reflect the deep sorrow felt across the city.
Merced Recreation and Park Commissioner Walter Smith condemned the violence, calling it senseless and urging an end to the ongoing bloodshed.
As Merced mourns, the community continues to seek healing, answers, and justice while remembering Xavier Barragan and Nehemiah Green and the futures they never had the chance to live.
