Groom Shot in Head by Armed Gunman During Backyard Wedding Ceremony: REPORT
A couple's special wedding day turned into a nightmare when the groom, 32, was suddenly shot in the head.
Dulce and Francisco Gonzalez tied the knot in St. Louis after more than 10 years together on June 28.
However, the backyard ceremony turned terrifying when "two armed men in ski masks entered the yard and told them not to move," the bride's sister, Yaribeth Peña, told news outlet KSDK.
The frightened woman ran inside the house, and that's when she heard gunshots behind her.
Authorities note Francisco was shot in the head several times as the armed men fled the scene.
The groom was immediately rushed to the hospital.
Francisco remains in critical condition as of publishing.
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"He’s fighting for his life. We are hoping he pulls through. [My sister] is distraught, she’s depressed, she’s heartbroken. They were saying my brother-in-law was going for his wallet and maybe they thought he was going for a weapon," Peña shared.
Peña, who lives next door to her sister, described her brother-in-law as "responsible, kind, a hard worker, a good father, and always happy."
She also now worries about her own safety following the incident.
"I feel like we would have to move to feel comfortable. I would like for the community to help us locate these suspects," she said, adding she "believes the suspects are two teenagers," and describing "one as shorter than the other tall suspect."
Police encourage anyone with information about the shooting to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.