(Gofundme)
A Missouri man, Francisco Gonzalez, was critically injured after being shot in an attempted robbery during his backyard wedding in St. Louis over the weekend, officials and family members said.
Saturday was intended to be a fairy-tale ending for Dulce and Francisco Gonzalez, who were marrying in their backyard after a decade together and two children. However, the celebration turned tragic when two men in ski masks stormed the yard and robbed the family, resulting in Francisco being shot, according to his family.
St. Louis police responded to reports of a shooting just before 1 a.m. Saturday. Witnesses told officers that the masked men entered the yard, announced a robbery, and while rummaging through people’s pockets, one of the men pointed two handguns at Francisco, police said. The assailants then fled on foot. Francisco Gonzalez was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition, police said.
A GoFundMe campaign set up by a family friend described the violent incident, stating Dulce and Francisco were having a “small family ceremony” at Dulce’s home with “their two small children.” The site elaborated, “The family was robbed at gunpoint and her husband was shot in the head. He’s alive and in critical condition. We need prayers that he will come through this.”
NBC affiliate KDSK of St. Louis reported that the couple had been together for over a decade and had two kids, with 50 relatives attending their backyard wedding ceremony. Dulce’s sister, Yaribeth Peña, recounted that about 15 people were still present when two hooded and masked individuals grabbed Francisco. One of the robbers put a gun to Francisco’s head and warned, “Don’t move.”
Peña heard a gunshot and ran inside through a back door, seeking refuge at a neighbor’s house. Moments later, she heard the anguished cries from her family’s yard: “Kiko got shot in the head,” referring to Francisco by his nickname.
The suspects fled the scene, leaving the family in a state of fear and shock. Peña shared that many family members live on the block and have always felt safe at backyard gatherings—until now. “We’re scared. We’re scared to be in our backyard. We’re scared to throw our trash away. We’re scared to walk our pets,” she said. “We don’t know if they’re going to come back.”
St. Louis police are reviewing evidence and interviewing witnesses. “We will continue to investigate until we bring justice to the victim and his family,” police stated Wednesday. Peña, 33, said her brother-in-law remains hospitalized with brain swelling. Despite the critical condition, she holds on to hope. “We ask for the public to keep praying for Francisco,” she said. “There is some brain activity. That’s given us hope.”
