A groom is fighting for his life in hospital, after he was shot in the head during his backyard wedding celebration over the weekend.
Friday night was supposed to be one of the happiest of Dulce and Manuel Gonzalez’s lives, but it ended in horror when two robbers crashed their wedding reception and shot Manuel multiple times.
Police said two masked gunmen entered the St. Louis, Mo., backyard as the party entered the early morning hours.
Dulce’s sister, Yaribeth Peña, told KSDK-TV that two men in ski masks suddenly appeared and told everyone not to move. One began going through the guests’ pockets and demanded money, while the other stood behind Manuel, pointing a gun to his head.
About 30 seconds into their appearance, one of the robbers shot Manuel in the head twice before they both fled on foot without any money or other items.
“They took nothing, yet they took everything from us,” Peña told Fox2 Now.
According to a GoFundMe page set up for the family, Manuel was taken to the hospital and remains in critical condition.
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Peña told KSDK-TV she believes the gunmen shot her brother-in-law “as he was going for his wallet and maybe they thought he was going for a weapon.”
Police said the suspects fled on foot. There have been no arrests made and the investigation continues.
“He’s a good father. A good husband to my sister. He’s a hard worker,” Peña told Fox2, explaining that her sister and Manuel have been together for a decade and have two children together. “He’s just an all-around good person that, I don’t know, he didn’t deserve this.”
Peña said her sister is “distraught,” “depressed” and “heartbroken” as her new husband struggles to recover.
“He’s fighting for his life,” Peña said. “We are hoping he pulls through.”
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