7 men fire at computer shop; 1 dead, 1 wounded

MANILA, Philippines - A man was killed and a teenager was injured when seven armed men shot up a computer shop in Quezon City Friday night.

Police Officer 1 Hermogenes Capili said seven men armed with handguns and wearing bonnets barged into the shop along Adarna Extension in Barangay Commonwealth at past 8 p.m.

Roderick Fernandez, 24, was playing computer games at the shop, which was near his house, when the seven suspects arrived on foot. Two other customers were in the shop.

Upon entering the shop, the suspects allegedly started shooting at Fernandez. They also hit the power connection, plunging the shop into darkness. Capili said the power outage did not prevent the suspects from repeatedly firing at Fernandez, who died from 10 gunshot wounds.

Nursing student Richard Fuentes, 17, was treated for wounds he sustained when stray bullets grazed his chest and arm. Fuentes’ father owns the computer shop. Capili said as the armed assailants walked out of the internet shop, they fired more shots to scare off onlookers. He said most of the residents were apprehensive in giving details concerning the attack.

Capili said they recovered 15 cartridges from a.9 mm pistol and three shells from a.45 caliber handgun.

Police seek to learn the identities of the perpetrators of the attack and the motive behind it, but there were unverified reports that the slain victim had played “peacemaker” in disputes involving youths in the area.