A joyful wedding celebration in St. Louis took a tragic turn when two masked gunmen stormed into a backyard reception and shot the groom in the head during a failed robbery attempt. Manuel and Dulce Gonzalez were celebrating their marriage with around 50 close friends and family members on Saturday when the horrifying incident occurred.
The gunmen, armed and wearing ski masks, demanded money from the guests while holding the groom at gunpoint. In a shocking turn of events, one of the assailants shot Manuel Gonzalez without warning. The gunmen fled the scene on foot without stealing any money or possessions from the guests. Manuel Gonzalez, 32, was rushed to the hospital where he remains in critical condition.
Yaribeth Peña, the bride’s sister, expressed her grief, stating that the gunmen took everything from them despite not taking any belongings. Peña believes that the thieves shot her brother-in-law while he was reaching for his wallet, possibly mistaken for reaching for a weapon. She described the suspects as teenagers, with one being shorter than the other.
Footage from the couple’s Ring Doorbell captured the suspects approaching the house before the attempted robbery and then fleeing after shooting Manuel Gonzalez. The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made yet.
The family is pleading for anyone with information or Ring door video footage that may have captured the suspects to come forward. Peña also voiced concerns for her family’s safety, calling on the community to help locate the assailants. Manuel Gonzalez’s father-in-law shared that his son-in-law had shown some hand movements since being admitted to the hospital but remains in a critical condition.
As the investigation continues, the family hopes to find justice and ensure the neighborhood’s safety while the violent criminals are still at large.