Patrons get bullet wounds instead of gas

Police are investigating a shooting incident which occurred at the Esso Ramon’s Service Station at mile two on the Northern Highway on Saturday at twelve-ten a.m. and left two persons injured. Ignacio Reyes, a security officer, reported to Police that three male persons arrived in a grey Mazda car and made their way onto the premises and demanded fuel service. They were refused and approached Reyes. Fearing for his life he took out his licensed nine millimeter pistol and fired two shots injuring two of the men. That was the story, according to Reyes, but News Five caught up with the injured men, Thomas Garcia and Jose Gonzalez, and heard a different story which was corroborated by the station’s video camera.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Twenty-five year old Thomas Garcia and Thirty-seven year old Jose Gonzalez had no idea that when they decided to purchase gasoline from the Esso Ramon’s Service Station at closing time on Friday night, they would be shot.

Thomas Garcia, Shooting Victim
“The pump attendants were still out there so we circle around the roundabout to come around, the barricade mi deh on. But my friend, Jose Gonzalez, he seh he frequently full deh and he know dat Mr. Ramon wah give ah di gas. So anyway we come out and we move di barricade. We ask one ah di attendants if dehn still di sell gas and he seh we could check dah di door. So we went there and we knock on di glass and wah young lady came and she came and ask us how much gas we need and we tell ah twenty dollars gas.”

Gas Station Supervisor, Delia Molina spoke to Garcia and Gonzalez prior to the shooting.

Delia Molina, Supervisor, Esso Ramon’s
“I noticed them and I got out and I came out by the door and told them that I was closed. So the guys kept on insisting so I told them to hold on a minute and I will go and ask my boss if we can assist them. So I went to ask my boss but my boss was reluctant about it. He said that the pumps take a while before we turn it on again so that the fuel could pump from the tanks. So I went back and told them that we can’t assist them. So the guys they accepted it and walked away from the door and I did the same thing; walked away and went to finish off the closing off of the accounts for the day, to check the cashier and the pump attendants. About two minutes later I heard two shot.”

Garcia filled in the dialogue that the camera didn’t capture.

Thomas Garcia
“I assumed it was the security guard. When he came he follow my friend more cause dah more fi he side. So when he get—I si my friend turn round and seh weh di go one wid you. And den I spin round back and I turn round like going towards di vehicle, I hear dis sound like wah metal and when I spin round I notice dat he di pull out wah firearm out ah fi he right front pocket and dat dah when he let go di shot. Ih shoot me dah mi back and I drop pan di ground den I hear wah next shot gone off and my friend seh dat he got shot too. I si di guy just watch us both and went back to the building.”

Jose Sanchez
“What happened after that?”

Thomas Garcia
“I took out my cell phone and dialed 911 and dat dah how we ended up yah.”

Delia Molina
“I saw the security guard placing his gun behind him and he walked away. He stood there about five minutes close to his bicycle and he just get on his bicycle and went away. About five minutes later the police start to come out and the ambulance came about ten minutes later.”

Jose Sanchez
“Is there any reason given for why you were shot?”

Thomas Garcia
“Well, my part, no. I noh think no reason given because we neva gone deh fi seh dat we wah tantalize di place or try jack di place or nothing cause we had money and di gial already took di money from us and we just wanted to know if we could get the gas, yes or no.”

The security guard, Ignacio Reyes, was detained by police. He claimed he feared for his life and that was why he shot the men. No charges have been filed against any of the individuals involved in the incident. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.

Gonzalez was shot in his stomach and the bullet exited his body. However, the bullet that penetrated Garcia is lodged near his spinal cord. Police have since detained the security guard.