A nine-year-old boy from the Bronx was fatally shot by robbers 30 minutes after landing in the Dominican Republic with his dad for spring break.
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Gioser Luis Feliz and his father, Sergio Luis Feliz, arrived at Cibao International Airport in Santiago on Wednesday before their car was robbed. Authorities learned, however, that a family friend, 32-year-old Tomás Peña Morel, allegedly plotted the crime. According to the Daily Mail, the boy’s father, Sergio Luis Feliz, warned travelers not to post when traveling to the Dominican Republic amid his son’s death.
Esta noche están siendo velados los restos del niño #Gioser Luis Feliz, de 9 años, quien fue asesinado tras llegar al paÃs desde EEUU.
El padre #SergioFeliz dijo que el señalado como el que planeó todo era como su “hermano” y que todo se lo dejará a Dios. pic.twitter.com/S1dD8l8NRi
— Noticias AS Informativo Digital (@AsNotici) April 22, 2023
‘It was an attempt to rob me of my belongings without me knowing who it would be because it was my first time coming to Santiago,‘ he explained to local outlets. The boy’s uncle said Morel and Sergio had been friends for 10 years and considered each other brothers.
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Investigators reported that Gioser was shot in the head when the driver refused to stop after being targeted by muggers, who suddenly opened before fleeing the scene. The boy died at a local hospital while undergoing surgery.
The suspects arrested for the planned robbery were identified as Luis Angel Vargas Brito,18, José Manuel Almonte Santana, 20,  Derlin Javier Mercado MartÃnez,  César Junior Ulloa Cuevas, and Elian MartÃnez Sánchez, 22. Five women were taken into police custody, but investigators didn’t confirm if they were connected to the robbery or murder.
Arrestan a quien alquiló el carro en que se transportaban matadores del niño Gioser
Agentes de la PolicÃa Nacional apresaron una séptima persona vinculada a la muerte del niño Gioser Luis Feliz, de nueve, muerto de un impacto de bala en la cabeza, en medio de un supuesto intento… pic.twitter.com/dgOUH2EUSX
— Delvis Durán (@DelvisDuran) April 21, 2023
The family is arranging to have Gioser’s body sent back to New York to hold a funeral. Before his tragic death, they planned to spend a few days before returning to New York the next Monday. Sergio posted a video explaining what happened during the robbery when the muggers intercepted his vehicle as he waited by a toll booth. A press release revealed the suspects confessed to participating in the robbery. Surveillance footage also showed them following Sergio from a terminal before the attempted robbery.
President Luis Abinader released a statement about the case on Twitter, saying he’s been following updates since receiving the news.
“Since I found out about the death of the child Gioser Luis Féliz, I have been following up on the case. I have been informed by the Director of the National Police about the arrest of the 5 criminals who committed this horrendous crime. Now justice must be ensured in the courts”