Pleasanton Man, Fatally Shot, Suspected Of Fellow Gamer's Death

PLEASANTON, CA — A Pleasanton man, 23, is thought to have fatally shot himself Wednesday night as police attempted to serve a search warrant at his home in connection with the Tuesday slaying of a Texas man, 18.

Matthew Thane, 18, of Flower Mound, Texas was found fatally shot at his home around 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Flower Mound Police Department. Police believe a Pleasanton man who knew Thane through online gaming was responsible.

Investigators are considering the possibility that the shooting followed a gaming dispute, according to Bay Area News Group, which first reported the news.

A GoFundMe online fundraiser for Thane's family has already raised $18,000 as of noon Friday.

"Matthew never failed to put a smile on someone’s face and brighten their day," GoFundMe organizers wrote. "He was such an unique character, one of a kind."

The Pleasanton man is thought to have shot Thane after luring him outside by setting a propane tank ablaze, Bay Area News Group reported.

Flower Mound police contacted the Pleasanton Police Department to aid in the investigation. Officials said the 23-year-old-man had traveled from Pleasanton to Flower Mound and back within 72 hours, according to cell phone data.

Officials tried to get the Pleasanton man to exit his home while serving the search warrant, according to Flower Mound police. He is thought to have shot himself at that time.

The man's identity and cause of death has not been released as the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau investigates, Flower Mound police said.

The case remains under investigation. Flower Mound police will release more information as it becomes available.

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