A newlywed couple experienced tragedy when the groom was shot in the head by masked gunmen during an attempted armed robbery.
Manuel Gonzalez was shot just hours after marrying his wife, Dulce, during their wedding reception.
The shocking incident happened in the Dutchtown neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri, around 1 a.m. on Saturday.
The wedding party took place in the couple’s garden with around 50 guests.
A group of masked men entered the party through the divided fence of the bride and her sister’s driveway.
These suspects allegedly told guests not to move and demanded they hand over money, according to the Fox affiliate KTVI.
The men reportedly waved their guns at the guests as a threat.
They then shot the groom several times in the head and fled the scene on foot, without taking any money or valuables.
Security footage captured the apparent moment these two suspects fled the crime scene, according to KTVI.
These armed men would have been in and out of reception in about 30 seconds.
Manuel, 32, was taken to a hospital and was in critical condition.
The bride’s sister, Yaribeth Pena, explained how this affected the family.
“They didn’t take anything, but they took everything from us,” she said.
“He is a good father. A good husband for my sister. He is a hard worker,” she added.
“He’s just a completely good person who, I don’t know, didn’t deserve this.”
The couple had been together for a decade and had two children together.
They didn’t take anything, but they took everything from us.”
Yaribeth Penathe bride’s sister
Pena said that the entire family hoped that the groom’s condition would improve.
“He is fighting for his life. We hope he gets over it,” she said.
His family said police had not yet collected all the evidence and spoken to all the witnesses as of Sunday afternoon.
Their families asked the public to come forward with any information.
A GoFundMe The page was also created by a family friend and has raised more than $12,000 so far.
The US Sun has reached out to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police for comment.
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