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Texas maintenance worker Cesar Montelongo was fatally shot on Christmas Eve. Cesar, 53, was allegedly mistaken for a burglar by the man who shot him. The horrific incident took place at the Clayton Pointe Apartment Complex in Grand Prairie.
Cesar Montelongo was checking balconies for broken pipes when he was mistakenly shot dead. The Texas worker was reportedly taken to the hospital but died there. Cesar Montelongo's assailant cooperated with the police and remained on the scene after firing the shot.
A GoFundMe page has been launched by Kimberly Montelongo, who has addressed Cesar as "uncle." The fundraiser initially aimed to raise an amount of $16,000 to meet the funeral expenses of the 53-year-old worker. However, it received an overwhelming response, with a total of $43,925 already donated. According to a family member, Cesar was killed due to a "senseless act of violence."
53-year-old Cesar Montelongo was fatally shot after being mistaken for a burglar
The tragic incident transpired on December 24, 2022, when a resident of Clayton Pointe Apartments mistook Cesar Montelongo for a burglar. The Texas worker was just doing his job and checking for any broken pipes in the balconies. However, upon noticing Montelongo, the said resident got a gun and shot the worker through a window.
When police arrived at the scene, they found Cesar Montelongo lying on a resident’s balcony with a gunshot wound. The Grand Prairie Police Department published a press release that said,
“The resident, who believed his apartment was being burglarized, armed himself with a firearm and shot the victim through a window.”
Cesar Montelongo’s son Cesar Jr. spoke to Fox4 and said,
“He was working on things outside. He was never trying to break into anything. My dad worked there for 16 years. He had no need to steal anybody’s stuff.”
As had been mentioned, the family launched a GoFundMe page to arrange funeral services for Cesar Montelongo. The post states that he left behind five sons and a wife. The fundraiser was launched by Kimberly Montelongo, Cesar’s niece. The post read,
“My uncle was a loving and hardworking man who gave his entire life for his family. His devotion to the Lord gave him strength.”
The family has also expressed their gratitude for the donations and well wishes. The post further read,
“The way the community has rallied together to help out his wife and children is beyond wonderful. My family sends you the biggest thank you for your generosity.”
Kimberly further wrote that her uncle was “murdered” in an act of “senseless violence.” She has also described Cesar as a “loving and hardworking man.” The fundraiser received an overwhelming response, and an amount of over $40,000 has been raised. Donors have expressed their condolences to the family for the sad demise of the Texas man.
Cesar Montelongo's family expects justice to be served to the 53-year-old
According to Fox4, law enforcement officials have ruled the Texas worker's death a homicide. However, they have not made any arrests yet. The officials stated that a Tarrant County grand jury will be reviewing the case of Cesar Montelongo.
Cesar Jr. mentions that the family has forgiven the resident who mistakenly shot his father to death. However, they also expect justice to be served to the 53-year-old who lost his life due to the mistake. He continued,
“We do forgive the person for what they did, and we pray that the Lord forgives the person for what they did, however justice is justice and fair is fair, and whatever that looks like it's going to be up to the Lord and the grand jury.”
Cesar Montelongo and his wife Candelaria were supposed to celebrate their 29th wedding anniversary on December 25, 2022. However, he was tragically shot dead just a day before Christmas. The police have not yet revealed the identity of the shooter.
According to Cesar Jr., his father has been working for about 16 years. He spoke to WFAA and said,
“We don't know who the suspect is. We don’t know what state they were in. We just know that that happened. My dad was a huge man of faith. My mother is a huge woman of faith. And so, we’re just believing and trying to get through it.”
Law enforcement officials are investigating the death of the Texas worker. Further details will be revealed after a thorough investigation.
