There was no murder last night, but a teenager was shot in the head. 17 year old Adolfo Rodriguez is still alive even though a bullet went straight through his head. Jacqueline Godwin has details.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
When 7NEWS arrived on the scene at the corner of Fairweather Street and Mex Avenue just around nine twenty on Tuesday night the police were already at the crime scene waiting for the forensic team. A machete was lying on the ground, beside a pool of blood. The victim was holding it in his hand when he was shot in the head. Adolfo Gomez Jr. Gomez was walking home with a friend after he working all day cutting grass in Ladyville Village.
Flor Gomez, Mother of Shooting Victim
“My son worked in Ladyville. He went Monday and said he would come back Tuesday when somebody came and checked when he would come home.”
It is a miracle that seventeen year old Adolfo Gomez Jr. survived the head injury. According to Adolfo Gomez Sr. he is still in shock over the thought that he came very close to losing his son. And while he is encouraged that his son is responding he remains very concerned.
Adolfo Gomez Sr., Father of Shooting Victim
“When I went to see him this morning he talked to me and recognized me and everything and it didn’t look like he got serious damage or so but he doesn’t look healthy to me.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What concerns you?
Adolfo Gomez Sr.,
“Well most of the thing that concerns is that I want him to get back on his feet 100% and nothing could affect him down the stretch, like he gets crazy or lose memory now and again or his sight. I am concerned about him.”
The shooter has been described as a dark skinned man dressed in a white undershirt, dark colour three quarter pants who wore a dark peak cap and was riding a beach cruiser bicycle. It is believed he was armed with a silver-coloured nine milimeter pistol.
Jacqueline Godwin,
When we went out to the scene last night there was a machete and a lot of blood
on the ground. Do you believe that he was shot from close range?
Adolfo Gomez Sr.,
“I think it is a close range shot, its not a far distance shot - it is a close range because he was just coming from chopping yard in Ladyville and coming back home that is when the guy came and shot him at close range. He bent the curve and was crossing the street and at the same time the guy shot him.”
Keith Swift,
Was there a struggle, a confrontation, exchange of words?
Adolfo Gomez Sr.,
“No struggle. His friends said the guy just passed by and shot him quick. By the time he looked my son got shot already.”
And while he is grateful that his son survived, he is worried though that whoever shot him may return to kill him.
Adolfo Gomez Sr.,
“It came through the temple here and bust out through the back.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
He is very lucky.
Adolfo Gomez Sr.,
“The good Lord saved him but I think he will need more protection because the guys could try come back and try damage him again you understand me because they could go to the hospital and look for him and try kill him.”
But who wants Adolfo Gomez, Jr dead? Well Adolfo Gomez Sr. believes it has to do with a argument that started two years ago between the victim and the shooter.
Adolfo Gomez Sr.,
“It seems that they have old thing that happened like time or something and he just kept everything to himself and didn’t explain to me who is father so I could go out there and try to solve the problem the best way to avoid that thing that went on last night. Up to now I haven’t heard they hold the person yet but I hear they do know who shot my son but they haven’t held anybody up to now so I hope the police do a good job and get the proper person and charge him for what he did. As long as they find the right person, I want them to spend time for it or they do the proper thing. That is the whole solution. Let the guy spend some time for it because he did something wrong and he shouldn’t have done it that kind of way because he came to kill my son. He came to kill him.”
Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7NEWS.
Adolfo Gomez Jr. remains hospitalized in a stable condition. Police recovered one nine millimeter shell and the victim’s machete. While reports are that the police know who the suspect is, they have been unable to find him.
