A man who was shot in the stomach at a south Palo Alto parking lot early Tuesday morning has died, police said. A $20,000 reward is being offered for information related to the shooting.
He has been identified as 52-year-old Armando Montelongo Espinoza of San Jose, according to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office. His cause of death is pending.
The shooting occurred at about 3 a.m. in the 700 block of San Antonio Road, near the Mountain View city line. The victim, an adult male in his 50s, was shot once in the stomach, according to the Palo Alto Police Department. He was conscious and breathing when police arrived.
Paramedics from the Palo Alto Fire Department treated the man and transported him to a hospital, where he underwent surgery but ultimately died from his injuries, police said on Tuesday afternoon.
Police are actively investigating the shooting as a homicide and said they have no motive for the case or suspect information to release at this point.
"Due to the seriousness of the crime," police said, Los Altos nonprofit Mothers Against Murder is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects.
This is the same group that recently put up a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and convictions of the three armed men who robbed the Midtown Safeway in Palo Alto earlier this month.
The group has offered money for information in three prior murder cases, including the Halloween 2018 double-homicide in East Palo Alto.
Palo Alto residents Roger Smith and Judy Kay founded Mothers Against Murder. On Jan. 13, Smith said that danger has risen these days because of the prevalence of people illegally carrying guns.
"I have an enormous worry about guns," he said.
Even ordinary conflicts escalate: It used to be that people would get into fistfights or into arguments over car accidents, but "now a car wreck could get you shot," Smith said.
Police on Tuesday morning closed eastbound San Antonio Road between Leghorn Street and East Charleston Road as they investigated the shooting and collected evidence. They are also looking for surveillance video in the area.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police department's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the department’s free mobile app, downloadable at bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.
This is a developing story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Comments
Embarcadero Oaks/Leland
on Jan 21, 2020 at 8:05 am
on Jan 21, 2020 at 8:05 am
[Post removed.]
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 21, 2020 at 8:36 am
on Jan 21, 2020 at 8:36 am
As of Tuesday morning, we have not reached Tuesday afternoon. This happened in the overnight hours, not the mid afternoon. 3.00 am.
I suspect traffic has been horrific as a result of the road closures.
Southgate
on Jan 21, 2020 at 8:58 am
on Jan 21, 2020 at 8:58 am
Was the victim an employee of a business at that location? [Portion removed.]
College Terrace
on Jan 21, 2020 at 9:22 am
on Jan 21, 2020 at 9:22 am
The fact that they have guns and used it is really, really scary. Guns are now showing up in Palo Alto crime incidents.
Greenmeadow
on Jan 21, 2020 at 9:57 am
on Jan 21, 2020 at 9:57 am
[Post removed.]
Adobe-Meadow
on Jan 21, 2020 at 12:32 pm
on Jan 21, 2020 at 12:32 pm
Unless it was a robbery of a night shift employee, I doubt anyone obeying laws has anything to worry about. Sounds like drugs or some gang punk. Two people meeting up at in a parking lot at 3am for legal reasons? Yah, happens all the time.
Community Center
on Jan 21, 2020 at 1:04 pm
on Jan 21, 2020 at 1:04 pm
When asked at the self-defense workshop I was teaching on Sunday (at Cubberley Community Center, right around the corner from this incident) about defense against an attack with a weapon, I told the students what I always tell them: You aren't at much risk in this area unless you are involved in something unlawful. I highly doubt that this shooting was a mugging gone bad. (but it is possible)
Someone trying to shoot or stab you in this area if you are law-abiding is very rare. But you might be THREATENED with a weapon...
If someone threatens you with a weapon, give them your stuff. You should defend yourSELF but your stuff can be replaced. I have taken down a criminal before but he didn't have a weapon.
[Portion removed.]