ST. LOUIS, MO – A festive wedding day turned tragic for a newlywed couple in Dutchtown when money-seeking gunmen shot the groom in the head, putting him in critical condition, according to police.
The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday at the intimate backyard party held in the 3800 block of Neosho Street. The suspects, two unidentified masked men, purportedly gatecrashed the celebration, demanding money from the attendees. In a shocking turn of events, they opened fire, targeting the groom- a 32-year-old father and worker.
Despite going after the money, the culprits fled without taking anything from the party.
In an emotional appeal, Yaribeth Pena, the bride’s sister, lamented, “They took nothing, yet they took everything from us.” Describing her brother-in-law as a dedicated husband and father, she expressed disbelief over the undeserved ordeal he was subjected to.
As of Sunday, the detectives have yet to collect all the evidence from the crime scene. Furthermore, not all the witnesses at the event have been interviewed. The victim’s family and the police have asked the community to help in the investigation by providing any potential footage of the assailants.
The overwhelming expression of sympathy and support from the public has provided solace to the family amidst the trying times. A friend has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the bride’s family.
The police urged anyone with information about the crime to get in touch with CrimeStoppers. The investigation is ongoing.