A groom is in critical condition after a suspect shot him in the head during his wedding ceremony.
Manuel and Dulce Gonzalez hosted a backyard wedding to tie the knot after a decade together. What should have been a celebration of their love with 50 close family members — including their two kids — quickly turned out to be the worst night of their lives.
According to KSDK-TV, “As the night wrapped up after midnight, the bride’s sister, Yaribeth Peña, said they were all hanging out and talking when two armed men in ski masks entered the yard and told them not to move.”
Later, police revealed that one of the men went through the guests’ pockets. When they reached Manuel, for some reason, they pulled the trigger, shooting him in the head before fleeing without taking anything.
Groom in Critical Condition After Being Shot During Wedding
Unfortunately, the groom is now in critical condition after the armed robbers shot him.
“He’s fighting for his life. We are hoping he pulls through,” Yaribeth said. “[My sister] is distraught, she’s depressed, she’s heartbroken. They were saying my brother-in-law was going for his wallet and maybe they thought he was going for a weapon.”
Yaribeth believes the suspects might be teens. Ring video footage showed them running from the scene, while another video shows them riding by on a bike. It seemed as though they’d been watching the house, plotting the incident before following through.
The family set up a GoFundMe, asking for prayers and financial support to cover Manuel’s medical bills and loss of income.
“This is for Dulce,” the fundraising page reads. “On Friday 6/28, she was getting married with a small family ceremony at her home with their 2 small children. The family was robbed at gunpoint and her husband was shot in the head. He’s alive and in critical condition. We need prayers that he will come through this.”
“He’s a good father. A good husband to my sister. He’s a hard worker,” Yaribeth told Fox2. “He’s just an all-around good person that, I don’t know, he didn’t deserve this.”
“Any support that can be afforded to this sweet family will be greatly appreciated,” the GoFundMe page concluded.