FBI agents were executing a warrant for a firearms violation last month when they shot and killed a man at his Robinson home, according to state documents in a related child welfare case.
Federal law enforcement records involving Joshua Steven Mitchell, 44, remained sealed Thursday and FBI agents declined to comment on the reason for the July 25 law enforcement operation on Mitchell’s home at 780 Stegall Drive. FBI officials have said Mitchell, alias Gio Michell, was shot after threatening “lethal force” against agents, but they have not given details.
However, Child Protective Services documents filed in McLennan County state the FBI was attempting to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm by a felon at the time of the fatal encounter.
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Mitchell
“On July 25, 2019, the Department of Family and Protective Services received a referral alleging neglectful supervision of (a 7-year-old boy) by Clara Santos and mother’s paramour, Joshua Stevens, AKA Geo Mitchell,” the CPS report states. “There were concerns the child was being exposed to multiple weapons in the residence.
“Law enforcement was attempting to execute a felony warrant for possession of a firearm by a felony on the mother’s boyfriend Joshua Stevens, AKA Geo Mitchell.”
The boy was placed in foster care ahead of the trial of his father, Jose Manuel Gonzalez, 47, who was convicted Thursday of one count of continuous sexual abuse of a young child and one count of indecency with a child by contact. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for sexually abusing Santos’ daughter, Clarisa, for almost five years beginning when she was 8.
Clarisa Santos, 14, took her own life with a firearm last year just before Gonzalez’s first trial was set to start.
In an interview with child welfare workers after the July 25 operation, Clara Santos claimed she was unaware of any weapons or explosives on the property and did not understand why law enforcement showed up, the CPS document states.
“Ms. Santos reported to her knowledge, Mr. Stevens removed all firearms last year after the death of her oldest child who died by suicide,” CPS documents state. “Ms. Santos was adamant (her 7-year-old son) had not any any access to any firearms or explosives. Ms. Santos said she was ‘surprised’ of the current events.”
But the CPS documents present other evidence conflicting with her account.
The 7-year-old boy told forensic interviewers that the family had numerous guns, and “his father had ‘secrets that he could not tell,’” the documents state.
In the interview, the boy described circumstances inside the home on the morning of the FBI operation. He said the family was awakened by law enforcement trying to get the family to come to the door, but Mitchell instead told Santos to “grab all the guns and magazines and meet him upstairs,” according to the CPS summary.
FBI agents entered the home and removed Santos and the boy, according to the CPS report. In the fatal encounter with FBI agents, Mitchell was dressed in a bulletproof vest and helmet, the document states.
An autopsy has been ordered for Mitchell but had not been returned as of Thursday. The autopsy order lists his middle name as Steven, while the CPS report refers to him as Stevens.
