This story has been updated to reflect that police later confirmed the identity of the victim as Juan Marcos Garcia.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A good Samaritan was shot dead overnight, while giving a ride to someone headed home.
Minutes after midnight, Willowview Avenue just off Getwell was saturated with officers as they worked to investigate a deadly shooting. A man was found with gunshot wounds and pronounced dead on the scene.
By sun up, the victim’s friends and family were also out struggling to make sense of something so senseless. Family members tell WREG two men were lying in wait, adding this was an attempted robbery that took a deadly turn.
Those who knew the victim say his name was Juan and he was killed being a good Samaritan and giving a man a ride home.
Police confirmed the identity of the victim as Juan Marcos Garcia on Aug. 10.
The surviving victim spoke with WREG. In Spanish, he described an ambush.
He says without warning, at least two masked men appeared and fired upwards of 10 rounds.
The surviving victim says he can still see the flashes from the gunfire. Sadly, Marcos Garcia, who was behind the wheel, was hit and died on the scene.
Incredibly, the surviving victim says the way he was positioned in the car unknowingly meant he was out of harm’s way. Because of lower back pain, his seat was leaned back.
If you know anything could help detectives, call Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH.
