MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – “Something I never imagined in my mind that’s going to happen that night.”
Those are the words of Gregorio Lopez said through strong emotions as he stood outside the Montgomery grocery store where two of his relatives lost their lives less than 24 hours before.
Montgomery police say Romero Lopez, 43, and Daniel Lopez, 20, were shot and killed at the family business of Tienda Los Hermanos on Troy Highway Tuesday night. A family friend, George Elijah Jr., 50, was also killed.
Family members say the gunfire was the result of a robbery – something that police confirm has been targeting Latino and Hispanic-owned businesses in Montgomery lately. As of Wednesday night, the shooter is still at large, and police don’t yet know who they’re looking for.
People came by the store to build a makeshift memorial to pay respects to the three victims. Meanwhile, the grieving family stood outside as the community offered comfort.
Two of the men who died were the brother and nephew of Tienda Los Hermanos’ owner, Maribel Lopez, who tearfully said they didn’t deserve to die this way.
“The only thing they did was help people. That is the only thing they did,” she said.
Her husband, Gregorio Lopez, said he was in the store when two men came in demanding money. He said he hit the floor when the shots rang out, saying, “My mind got blank. Didn’t know what to act because I saw three bodies laying on the floor. I don’t know which one to help.”
Some of the Hispanic community are calling on the city to do more to bring the criminals to justice.
Accompanying the community’s grief is a growing sense of frustration that the city is not doing enough to protect them and their cries for help have gone unheard, as multiple Hispanic-owned businesses have reported robberies.
Community activist Felix Montelara said such crimes are “easy picking” since thieves know the employees probably aren’t armed and there is cash on hand. He said more should be done to protect the Spanish-speaking community.
“These crimes have escalated to this point where we have a triple homicide,” Montelara said.
He said Spanish-speaking victims and their families in such crimes don’t feel supported because no one talks to them.
Montelara works along side Rhonda Thompson at the Nehemiah Center to offer support to the Hispanic community. Thompson says the community as a whole needs to do more.
“People can learn to appreciate each other more and the differences that they have, and what I find every time is that when people just get to know these folks, they love them,” she said.
“I think this has been, in my opinion, a wake-up call, and I hope it’s a wake-up call for the entire community,” said Montelara.
During a press conference Wednesday, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said he was outraged that Hispanics and Latinos are being targeted, while acting Montgomery Police Chief John Hall said there will be increased police patrols around those communities.
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