The killer’s targets escaped, and he took out his frustration on the innocent dominoes player, 59
Julio Mendoza, 59, of a Police Street Extension address, who was cold-bloodedly shot in the head by a gunman angry because his two intended victims had escaped, was rushed to the Karl Heusner Hospital, where doctors attempted to save him, but he died at about 5:30 Saturday morning.
The shooting occurred at about 10:30 Friday night on Racoon Street Extension, where Mendoza and his friends were playing dominoes under a house.
Inspector Calbert Flowers, Deputy Commander of Precinct 2 Police, said that a gunman on bicycle was chasing two men, who were also on bicycles, and he was firing at them.
At the time, Mendoza was with a group of men who were playing dominoes under a house, and they took cover on the ground to avoid the murderous gunfire. The two men who were the targets of the gunman escaped, but the gunman turned back, went under the house where the men were lying on the ground, and shot one of them in the head.
According to a witness, the gunman stood over Mendoza, who was lying on the ground, and deliberately shot him in the head. The other men then began to run for their lives.
The gunman then tried to shoot at the other men, but the gun malfunctioned and refused to fire. He tried to fire again, but again, the gun did not fire, and that, it appears, is the only reason no one else was shot or killed.
The gunman then rode away.
Inspector Flowers said that the shooting of Mendoza was a random act of violence, and there was no motive for his murder.
Mendoza’s wife, Carlita, his daughter, Amy, and other family members told Amandala that they were at home Friday night when at about 11:00 p.m., they got the incredible news that he had been shot. They rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Emergency Ward, where doctors reported that Mendoza had been shot in the head, and that the bullet was lodged behind his ear and that they were working to slow down the bleeding.
They kept monitoring the bleeding, but Mendoza was still bleeding from the ear, and at about 5:30 that Saturday morning, he died of his injuries. His family said that they will leave everything to God, because vengeance will not bring him back, and they will not respond to violence with violence.
Amy, his daughter, said that God has a better way of dealing with such things.
Julio Mendoza’s body now awaits an autopsy to certify the cause of his death.
Mendoza was a construction contractor. He is survived by his wife, Carlita; daughters, Amy and Chantel; and two sons, Ian and Kayleb, who live in the United States. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren and eight stepchildren.
Amy said that she and her family will miss her father dearly.
Inspector Flowers said that some men have been detained for questioning, but no one has yet been arrested for the death of Julio Mendoza.