SAN ANTONIO – Police are looking for the two men who they believe shot and killed a 77-year-old man outside a South Side gas station and convenience store early Friday.
The Bexar County medical examiner idenfitied the victim as Jose Rodriguez. Police said Rodriguez was a regular customer of the business. He was killed around 1 a.m. just after he left the store in the 400 block of Fair Avenue.
"He frequents that location, often buying lottery tickets. So the hour of morning or hour of day wasn't something that was unusual," said Officer Alisia Pruneda, a public information officer for the San Antonio Police Department.
Pruneda said investigators found new lottery tickets on Rodriguez, indicating he was carrying out his normal routine at the time.
Pruneda said as Rodriguez walked to his SUV, which was parked near the gas pumps, two men approached him and at least one of them shot him in the face.
"Shortly after, EMS arrived and pronounced that elderly male deceased," Pruneda said.
The shooters already had run away when police arrived.
A sergeant who answered the shooting call said witnesses were able to offer only a vague description of the gunmen. Police released surveillance pictures of the suspects wanted in the shooting.
No one noticed whether the pair climbed into a car, he said.
The shooting has investigators a bit baffled.
Pruneda said at this time, there is no indication it was the result of a robbery and investigators have not identified a clear-cut motive.
"(Robbery) hasn't been ruled out, as the investigations are ongoing," she said. "But what I did gather from detectives is that nothing was taken from the male."
Based on what police say, it appears right now to be a senseless killing without any identified suspects.
Anyone who may have information on the case is asked to SAPD's Homicide Unit at 210-207-7635 or Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP (7867).