Texas Teens Charged After Using Dating Apps to Lure Victims and Commit Violent Robbery—Pistol-Whipped Victims

A teenage couple in Texas is facing serious felony charges after police accused them of using dating apps to lure victims into violent robberies that left one boy shot four times. Investigators say the attacks unfolded within hours of each other and followed a chillingly similar pattern.

Alyssa Canul, 17, and her boyfriend Joseph Anthony Aguilar Campos, 18, were arrested this week in connection with two aggravated robberies in Universal City, a suburb northeast of San Antonio. Authorities allege the pair targeted young men through online platforms before ambushing them at predetermined meeting spots.

Violence Escalated Across Two Encounters

Police say both incidents took place on 25 May. According to Universal City Police, the first victim arranged to meet Canul through a dating app at a park bench. When he arrived, investigators allege Aguilar Campos emerged and pistol-whipped him before robbing him. The victim survived the assault.

The second encounter, reports say, was far more serious. A 15-year-old boy reportedly met Canul at the same park bench later that day before she allegedly persuaded him to walk back to the Villa Mesa apartments, where she and Aguilar Campos lived.

Court records obtained by local outlet KSAT state that Aguilar Campos then jumped out from nearby bushes and began loading a firearm. The victim tried to flee. Police say he was shot four times.

Investigators have not indicated whether the suspects knew he was 15 before arranging the meeting, though the case has intensified concerns around how minors are navigating online dating and social media spaces with little protection.

Despite his injuries, the teenager managed to reach a nearby coffee shop, where witnesses contacted emergency services. He was transported to hospital and is expected to recover.

Arrests Follow Rapid Police Investigation

Canul was arrested on 27 May and charged with two counts of aggravated robbery. Authorities have also indicated she could face an additional charge of tampering with physical evidence.

Aguilar Campos was arrested a day earlier on the same aggravated robbery charges.

According to investigators, detectives obtained a recorded jail phone call in which Canul allegedly stated she had disposed of the weapon used during the robberies.

Both suspects are currently being held at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center in San Antonio. Jail records show Canul is being held on a combined bond of $250,000 (£185,673.75), while Aguilar Campos faces a combined bond of $300,000 (£222,808.50).

Neither suspect has publicly commented on the allegations. Legal representatives for the pair did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Dating Apps Under Renewed Scrutiny

The allegations have once again placed attention on the risks tied to meeting strangers through dating apps, particularly among teenagers and young adults.

While such platforms have become routine social spaces for many users, law enforcement agencies across the United States have repeatedly warned about crimes involving fake profiles, robberies and extortion schemes arranged through private messaging.

Reports say police found the case is especially disturbing because of the alleged methodical setup, and the same meeting point was allegedly used twice in one day. The attacks also suggest a level of confidence that investigators believe developed rapidly.

Universal City Police have not disclosed which dating apps were allegedly used or whether additional victims may exist. Authorities are urging anyone with information connected to the investigation to come forward.

The criminal proceedings against both teenagers are expected to continue in Bexar County courts in the coming weeks.