Hero Argentinian father is shot dead trying to wrestle gun from robber as he worked double shift at a store to raise cash for Down’s syndrome daughter’s birthday party
- Juan Manuel Garcia had been working a double shift at store in Pilar, Argentina
- The 52-year-old had been working to raise money to throw a 15th birthday party for his disabled daughter Vicky
- But an armed robber entered store and Juan tried to wrestle gun from attacker
- The robber overpowered Juan and fatally shot the father-of-one in the stomach
A hero Argentinian father was shot and killed after he reportedly tried to wrestle a gun from a robber whilst he worked a double shift at a grocery store.
Juan Manuel Garcia, 52, had been tirelessly working to scrape together enough money to throw a 15th birthday party for his disabled daughter Vicky who suffers from Down’s Syndrome.
But during his double shift at the local grocery store in the Argentinian city of Pilar on 28 February, an armed robber entered the building.
Juan reportedly attempted to stop the robber by trying to wrestle the gun from his hand.
But the attacker was able to overpower the father-of-one and shot him fatally in the stomach.
Juan Manuel Garcia, 52, (right) was shot and killed while he worked a double shift at a store in Pilar, Argentina, to raise money to throw a 15th birthday party for his disabled daughter Vicky who suffers from Downs Syndrome (left)
Juan (left), the father of 14-year-old Vicky (right), was working a double shift with the intention of spending the extra money on his daughter’s upcoming birthday on 18 July
Local police have since arrested Elias Alejandro Aguirre, 24, as the main suspect for the shooting. He is currently detained and awaiting trial accused of homicide during an armed robbery.
Juan, the father of 14-year-old Vicky, was working a double shift with the intention of spending the extra money on his daughter’s upcoming birthday on 18 July.
His life long friend Juan Arquiel told the local news outlet Clarin: ‘When he found out about his daughter’s condition it hit him hard but since then he has always pushed on and done right by his daughter.’
Juan was extremely close to Vicky and the pair spent all their free time together frequently heading into the countryside for weekend trips and practising various sports together, according to local media.
Juan was extremely close to Vicky and the pair spent all their free time together frequently heading into the countryside for weekend trips and practising various sports together, according to local media
The tweets led to a fundraising campaign with the objective of paying for Vicky’s dream birthday party and has so far raised $11,000 (£7,900)
Juan was better known in his neighbourhood as ‘El Gallego’ and was reportedly well known and respected by many locals.
The tragic incident went viral on Twitter after the hashtag ‘#ElSueñodeVicky’ (Vicky’s dream) was posted by users.
The tweets led to a fundraising campaign with the objective of paying for Vicky’s dream birthday party and has so far raised $11,000 (£7,900).
Twitter User Gordo Monstruo started the campaign by tweeting: ‘He was Juan Manuel Garcia, a working-class father who worked 3 jobs to support his family.
‘His 14-year old daughter Vicky suffers from down syndrome.
‘Juan lived for her and was doing everything he possibly could to fulfil her dream of having a 15th birthday party.’
The death of Manuel bought the local community out into the streets demanding justice and improved security in the vicinity of the shooting
Eugenia Rolon, Vicky’s cousin, who helped run the campaign tweeted: ‘Thank you to everyone who has donated from 50 peso to 20,000 peso, every peso will go to Vicky, to fulfil her dream and to buy her whatever she wants. Thank you. #ElSueñoDeVicky (Vicky’s dream) will come true’.
Offers from Netizens went beyond just donations with one user offering his services as a driver. He wrote: ‘I will make sure everything happens on time driving Vicky and her mother to and from the party.’
The online campaign has branched out and now hopes to realise another one of Vicky’s dreams which is to meet the world-famous Argentinian football player Carlos Tevez.
The death of Manuel bought the local community out into the streets demanding justice and improved security in the vicinity of the shooting.
Vivian, the victim’s sister, said: ‘My brother was very important to me. Everyone loved him. He lived and worked for his daughter’