Victor Gomez, who was gunned down while his wife and three children were unharmed nearby at an Indiana shopping mall, is remembered as a dedicated, hard-working family man and entrepreneur.
Gomez’s aunt, Maria Zaragoza, told The Epoch Times that while Gomez’s wife and children were in a women’s restroom, Gomez had been in the men’s restroom, where police said the gunman spent an hour, presumably preparing for the shooting.
She didn’t know precisely where Gomez was when he was shot, but Zaragoza believes he was in or near the restroom. Zaragoza said that Gomez was “a very special person” with a zest for life. She showed photos of Gomez dancing, caring for several large dogs he owned, and relishing family outings, which she said happened almost every weekend.
Zaragoza worries about Gomez’s wife, Rosy, and the couple’s children, ages 12, 7, and 4, who witnessed the aftermath of the Greenwood Park Mall shooting that killed Gomez, 30, and two other mall visitors on July 17. Two other people were wounded; information on them hasn’t been released. A legally armed citizen killed the gunman and shielded others from harm, police said.
Zaragoza expressed concern for the traumatic experience that Gomez’s children endured. She believes they saw their gravely wounded father being taken from the scene. She encouraged Rosy Gomez: “Stay strong for the babies.”
Gomez’s funeral will be held this weekend in Indianapolis, where he ran a business called TRU Marble and Granite LLC. Gomez, whose family roots are in Mexico, was born in Florida; he lived most of his life in Indianapolis, Zaragoza said.
Police identified the armed citizen-hero as Elisjsha Dicken, 22.
In a prepared statement, Dicken’s attorney said his client is “a true American hero who saved countless lives during a horrific event that could have been so much worse if not for Eli’s courage, preparedness, and willingness to protect others.”
By Janice Hisle
