9-year-old Bronx boy Gioser Luís Feliz shot dead in Dominican Republic in botched robbery.
A 9-year-old Bronx boy was shot dead in a botched robbery earlier this week in the Dominican Republic – and cops arrested a pal of the boy’s dad on Friday.
Gioser Luís Feliz took a bullet to the head after the car he was traveling in was swarmed by a gang of robbers soon after he and his father left Santiago’s Cibao International Airport on Wednesday.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic say as soon as they left the airport on the island, they were ambushed. Multiple shots were fired into their car, and one of those bullets struck Gioser in the head, killing him. Hernandez talked to CBS2 News in the Bronx on Friday, saying at first, they thought it was a random violent crime, but now they say they believe a close friend was behind the attack and is one of the six people arrested by police.
“They know each other for 10 years. He was basically his brother,” Hernandez said. “Also, he was the one who helped him out in the hospital. He was in the surgery for the kid. He was the one who went back to the father, yeah, he passed away, so sorry.”
The boy and his father, Sergio Luis Feliz, had just flown in from New York’s JFK airport and were en route to a relative’s house when the violence unfolded, Univision reported.
Six men were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting, including Tomás Peña Morel, 32. Sources told Diario Libre that Tomacito was a friend of Feliz who would have known the family’s travel route and itinerary.
The president of the Dominican Republic tweeted in Spanish, “Justice must now be ensured in the courts.”
In the meantime, the island has seen an uptick in violent crime.
Back in April, the U.S. State Department re-issued its travel advisory to the Dominican Republic as “level two” – increased caution due to crime.
“Street crime is a problem … However, most people that go to the Dominican Republic will not have any trouble,” said Clint Henderson, managing editor of news for the Points Guy.
Morel is a friend of the elder Feliz, according to officials. Feliz had warned travelers not to share information on social media when travelling to the Dominican Republic, after he posted photos of the family at JFK Airport as they waited to board their flight Wednesday.
‘It was an attempt to rob me of my belongings without me knowing who it would be because it was my first time coming to Santiago,’ Sergio said, admitting that he and his son would be the ideal victims.
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