In Bryan, Texas, the parents of Texas A&M student Caden Crow have filed a wrongful death lawsuit following his death after a shooting at an apartment complex in May. Court documents reviewed by KBTX state that the shooting occurred at about 3:27 a.m. on May 2, 2026, inside Charlie Boggan’s apartment on West Villa Maria Road. The lawsuit was filed in Brazos County District Court by Melissa and Paul Dean Crow on behalf of their son. It names Craig and Tricia Boggan and Charlie Boggan as defendants. The plaintiffs allege that Charlie Boggan discharged a Glock 19 Gen4 handgun while handling it after consuming alcohol. They also allege that Craig and Tricia Boggan bought and provided the firearm to Charlie Boggan despite concerns described in the petition about his firearm handling. Caden Crow was shot in the abdomen and later died. A medical examiner ruled that his death was a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The defendants filed a general denial of the allegations. Bryan Police turned the matter over to the Brazos County DA’s office, which presented it to a grand jury. The grand jury returned a no-bill, and a police spokesperson confirmed the case is closed; the family is seeking review by a new grand jury. What Makes This Incident Different This report involves both a fatal shooting and a civil wrongful death case. The reported no-bill does not resolve the factual allegations made in the civil petition. A grand jury’s decision concerns whether there was sufficient evidence to bring a criminal charge, while a civil lawsuit is a separate proceeding with its own claims, evidence, and legal standards. The civil filing also places the handling and provision of a firearm at issue through allegations that remain disputed. The defendants’ general denial means those allegations must be proven through admissible evidence rather than treated as established facts. The evidence developed in the civil case, if it proceeds, will determine what can be shown. Questions Investigators May Examine Investigators and parties in a civil case may examine conditional questions such as: - What do the physical evidence and any available recordings indicate about the events inside the apartment? - What may firearm testing, handling evidence, or forensic findings clarify about the discharge? - What information may help establish who possessed or handled the handgun before the shooting? - What do available witness accounts, body-camera footage, and communications, if any, show about the circumstances? - What records may clarify the ownership, purchase, transfer, or storage of the firearm? These questions are not conclusions about fault. The available evidence, witness testimony, and court process will determine which facts can be established. Evidence That May Need to Be Preserved After a fatal shooting, important information can be lost if it is not promptly identified and preserved. Depending on the circumstances, potentially relevant materials may include: - The firearm, ammunition, magazine, casings, projectiles, and related forensic documentation - Law-enforcement reports, photographs, scene diagrams, and investigative records - Body-camera, dash-camera, dispatch, and emergency-call recordings - Medical examiner findings and records concerning the reported fatal injury - Photographs or video from the apartment complex or surrounding area, if any exist - Phone data, text messages, social-media communications, or other electronic records that may be relevant - Firearm purchase, ownership, transfer, storage, training, or maintenance records, if applicable - Witness contact information and contemporaneous statements A lawyer can take steps to request preservation of relevant materials. Preservation requests do not decide liability, but they may help prevent evidence from being overwritten, discarded, or altered before it can be evaluated. What Families Should Know Families coping with an unexpected death may face funeral expenses, medical bills, lost financial support, and profound emotional harm. In Texas, a wrongful death claim may allow certain surviving family members to seek damages connected to a death allegedly caused by another person’s wrongful act or omission. A survival claim may also be available in some circumstances for losses experienced by the deceased before death. Texas deadlines can apply to wrongful death and related claims, often requiring prompt action. The correct filing period can depend on the facts, the potential defendants, and other legal issues. A civil claim can also involve facts that were reviewed during a criminal investigation, but the two matters are distinct. A family does not need to decide every legal issue immediately. However, it can be important to preserve records, avoid signing insurance or settlement paperwork without understanding it, and obtain advice tailored to the circumstances. How Dunk Law Can Help Dunk Law helps families assess wrongful death claims involving fatal shootings and other catastrophic incidents. Our attorneys can review available reports and court filings, identify evidence that may need preservation, and explain how a Texas civil claim may proceed while respecting that allegations must be proven. If your family has lost someone in a shooting or another preventable incident, Dunk Law can provide a confidential case evaluation and help you understand potential next steps under Texas law. Related Dunk Law Resources - Wrongful death claims - Catastrophic injury claims - All practice areas This post is based on publicly available news reports and is provided for general information only. It is not legal advice.