Gioser Luís Feli: American boy, 9, shot dead by muggers 30 MINUTES after landing in Dominican Republic on holiday
SANTIAGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: An American family’s spring break vacation turned into a living nightmare after their nine-year-old son was shot dead by a gang of muggers just half an hour after they arrived in the Dominican Republic. Gioser Luís Feli and his family arrived at Santiago's Cibao International Airport on Wednesday, April 19. They were picked up by an unnamed friend of Gioser’s father, Sergio Luis Feliz Mancebo.
As the family passed through a toll booth, their vehicle was targeted by a gang of thieves. Reports indicate that the gang opened fire at the family after the driver refused to stop and attempted to flee. During the attack, Gioser was struck in the head by one of the bullets, and he was rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery before he was pronounced dead. His remains will soon be transported back to the United States, according to Diario Libre.
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Who are involved in Gioser Luís Feli’s death?
After the failed mugging, the attackers were able to escape the scene in a white Hyundai, which the police used to locate them. The officials soon arrested them and learned that they had rented the vehicle shortly before the attack. The suspects have been identified as Luis Angel Vargas Brito, 18, Derlin Javier Mercado Martínez, César Junior Ulloa Cuevas, José Manuel Almonte Santana, 20, and Elian Martínez Sánchez, 22, according to Daily Mail.
"These detainees were captured by video surveillance cameras in this terminal and from there they followed the father of the victim," a police spokesperson said, adding they have "admitted their participation" in the shooting. Following Gioser’s death, his father warned visitors going to the Dominican Republic to not post any information on social media. He said he shared a family photo at JFK Airport as they waited to board their flight on Wednesday, April 19.
‘Justice must be ensured in the courts’
The nine-year-old's death devastated the whole Dominican Republic. Mourning his death, the nation's president, Luis Abinader, recently praised police for arresting the suspects in just one day. "Since I found out about the death of the child Gioser Luis Féliz, I have been following up on the case," he said on Twitter, adding "I have been informed by the Director of the National Police about the arrest of the 5 criminals who committed this horrendous crime. Now justice must be ensured in the courts." Police on Thursday, April 20 announced that they will provide further details of the case in a timely manner, as the investigation proceeds and more details come to light.