MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA/Gray News) – An Alabama family is pleading for the public’s help after a father of three with a baby on the way was shot and killed in what they believe to be an atempted robbery.
Rosniery Mejia Magaña, 42, was leaving for work at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday when he was fatally shot at the Evergreen Estates mobile home park in Montgomery, WSFA reports.
“Rosniery was on his way out, and the guy literally steps inside the house and just shoots him right in the face,” said Magaña’s family member, Caren Montoya.
Montoya says Magaña was one of the nicest people she’s ever met, and the alleged shooter took not only his life but also his chance to watch his three daughters grow up and to meet his unborn child.
Before Magaña’s death, Montoya says no one in the family knew his wife was pregnant.
“I found out that same day because she (Magaña’s wife) said something… and I was like, ‘Oh, you’re pregnant.’ She was like, ‘We were trying to figure out a way to surprise the family,’” Montoya said.
Around five years ago, the family immigrated to the United States to flee violence in their home country of Honduras.
“That’s the crazy thing about it,” Montoya said. “They came fleeing from pretty much similar situations. They’ve had a lot of family murdered in their country, so they were fleeing that… only for him to come here and the same thing happen.”
Montoya says the family no longer feels safe in the U.S.
“Everyone is terrified right now. His other cousin is afraid to go back to his own home,” she said. “You’re not secure. You’re not.”
Magaña’s family has set up a GoFundMe to raise money to bury him in Honduras and to provide for his wife and children. They are also asking for prayers.
Police are investigating the case as a homicide. No arrests have been made.
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