Three dead, nine wounded in Río Piedras shooting
Police are investigating a shooting at a business in the Capetillo area of Río Piedras that occurred in the early hours of Sunday, Oct. 11.
File photoThe short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reported that three people were killed and nine wounded in a shooting at Zoila’s Café on Robles Street in the Capetillo neighborhood of Río Piedras
- Primera Hora stated the incident occurred at 2:56 a.m. after a fight inside the business
- El Nuevo Día reported the shooting was reported at 2:27 a.m. and that authorities have not established a motive
- San Juan CIC director Edwin Figueroa supervised the scene and said two of the dead were inside the business and one outside
Shooting at crowded business
Three men were killed and at least nine people were wounded in a shooting at Cafetería Zoila on Robles Street in the Capetillo area of Río Piedras early on Sunday, Oct. 11. Metro Puerto Rico reported that more than 100 shots were fired from the street into the business, which was crowded with customers at the time. Two of the bodies were found inside the establishment and one outside near an exterior wall.
The director of the San Juan Criminal Investigation Corps, Edwin Figueroa, supervised the scene. El Nuevo Día reported that Figueroa said two of the fatalities were inside the business and one was outside. Authorities have mobilized agents to visit emergency rooms to locate the wounded. The victims have not been identified.
Investigation underway
Primera Hora reported that the theory authorities are investigating is that a fight occurred inside the business and that several individuals then fired into it. El Nuevo Día reported that investigators have received unconfirmed information about a possible dispute. The investigation is being handled by the Homicide Division of the San Juan CIC, with agent Anthony Rosado and prosecutor Bárbara Pérez assigned to the case.
Officials are awaiting the arrival of technicians from the Instituto de Ciencias Forenses to process the scene and help identify the victims. Multiple bullet casings were visible at the location. Figueroa noted that while there have been previous violent incidents in the area, this is the first of this magnitude he has worked in San Juan.
Where the sources differ
All three sources agree that three people were killed and that the shooting took place in the early morning hours of Sunday at a business in Río Piedras. Metro Puerto Rico gives the highest number of wounded as nine and states more than 100 shots were fired, while Primera Hora says it is presumed nine were wounded and El Nuevo Día refers to several wounded without specifying a number. The sources differ on the exact time: El Nuevo Día reports 2:27 a.m., Primera Hora 2:56 a.m., and Metro Puerto Rico around 3:00 a.m. Metro and El Nuevo Día describe the possible dispute as unconfirmed information or a theory under investigation, while Primera Hora presents it as the theory authorities are investigating. Only Metro Puerto Rico mentions the wounded being taken to various hospitals and that one victim was found outside after apparently trying to flee.
What the reports do not say
The sources do not identify any of the victims or the wounded, nor do they give the ages or genders of those injured except for one minor wounded in a separate incident mentioned by Primera Hora. They do not state how many of the wounded are in serious condition or provide any update on their medical status. No arrests have been reported and the sources do not indicate whether suspects have been identified. The precise motive remains under investigation and it is not known if the shooting was targeted at specific individuals.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Tres muertos y varios heridos tras balacera en negocio de Río Piedras
- Reporting 100 disparos, 3 muertos y 9 heridos es el saldo de un tiroteo en Río Piedras
- Reporting Trifulca en negocio deja el saldo de tres muertos y nueve heridos
- Reporting Tres muertos y varios heridos tras balacera en negocio de Río Piedras
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico, Primera Hora and El Nuevo Día all reported the basic facts of the three deaths and multiple injuries at the Río Piedras business. The possible connection to a prior dispute inside the establishment rests on unconfirmed information according to El Nuevo Día and is presented as the theory under investigation by Primera Hora. The exact number of shots and the detail that the wounded were taken to various hospitals appear only in Metro Puerto Rico.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.