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Irving, TX – A tragic shooting at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Irving, Texas, on Wednesday left two employees dead. The suspect, identified as 37-year-old Oved Bernardo Mendoza Argueta, is in police custody and faces capital murder charges.
Around 4pm, police arrived at the Chick-Fil-A after recieving multiple 911 calls. They found two employees shot inside the establishment. A manhunt was initiated following the shooting, and police were able to locate the suspect the following morning. He had fled the scene in a 1997 Honda.
Authorities believe the attack was targeted, not random but don’t know of a motive at his time. Mendoza Argueta is a citizen of El Salvador and according to ICE officials, was in the country illegally.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed that the suspect is on an ICE hold, and the agency’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Dallas “lodged an immigration detainer with the Irving Police Department on Mendoza.”
One of the victims has been identified as 49-year-old Patricia Portillo. The other victim has been identified as 31-year-old Brayan Alexis Godoy, father of 4.
Godoy’s widow spoke with WFAA, and said she didn’t know why anyone would hurt her husband: “I don’t know why he did it. But he didn’t know what Bryan would leave behind. His four kids and me.”
Mendoza Argueta’s wife reportedly works at the Chick-fil-A and was a witness to the crime. She identified her husband as the shooter.
Investigators are still piecing together a motive for the attack.
Chick-Fil-A released a statement following the incident: “Our hearts are broken by the tragedy that unfolded inside our restaurant Wednesday. We will miss our two team members dearly. Right now our focus is on providing care for our team and the victims’ families.”
Argueta has been charged with capital murder of multiple persons.
The family has a GoFundMe to help raise money for Godoy’s funeral.
This is a developing story. More information will be released as it becomes available.
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