Related videos:
The Tampa Police Department has reclassified the case of a Cuban security guard who died after being intentionally run over outside a nightclub as a homicide, and identified the suspect, who remains at large.
The victim is Liester Iván Cruz Mesa, a 40-year-old Cuban from Pinar del Río, who worked as a security guard at the Vale club, located at 7123 N. Armenia Avenue, in Tampa, Florida.
According to investigators, the incident began around 4:30 a.m. last Sunday inside the establishment itself, when the suspect, identified as José Zamora Valdés, 32 years old, was removed from the premises after getting into a confrontation with a woman he knew.
As the security personnel escorted him toward the exit, Zamora Valdés pushed the woman, causing her to stumble into another customer and triggering a brief verbal altercation.
Later, Cruz Mesa and a friend left the club and started walking towards their vehicle.
At that moment, as revealed by WFLA-TAMPA HOY, Zamora Valdés got into his car and drove north on Armenia Avenue before making a sharp and intentional turn to hit the guard.
Cruz Mesa suffered critical injuries and was taken to a hospital, where he passed away as a result of his injuries.
A second man, described as Hispanic, sustained minor injuries during the attack.
Zamora Valdés fled the scene immediately and remains on the run.
The authorities issued an arrest warrant against him for charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The vehicle used in the attack was located and seized by the police.
The Fugitive Capture Unit of the Tampa Police and the U.S. Marshals Task Force are working together to locate him, indicating that authorities believe the suspect may have crossed state lines.
Police Chief Lee Bercaw strongly condemned the act: "Using a vehicle as a weapon and running over unsuspecting victims is a cowardly act that has no place in our community. Our officers, detectives, the Fugitive Capture Unit, and our federal partners work tirelessly to ensure that this dangerous individual is taken off the streets and held accountable for their actions."
Cruz Mesa left behind three children: two daughters aged 13 and 11, and a son who is also 11, some of whom are in Cuba.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Zamora Valdés can contact the Tampa Police Department at 813-231-6130, referencing report number 26-336350, or send anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-TIPS.
The Cuban community in Tampa expressed their sorrow on social media upon hearing the news.
Luismy González, a friend of Cruz Mesa, posted on Facebook: "My condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues in security who risk their lives every weekend in the world of nightclubs. We need to raise awareness because this cannot continue happening."
Bárbaro Echevarría, a family friend, organized a campaign on GoFundMe for the children of Cruz Mesa with a goal of $30,000 for funeral expenses and support for the minors, which by the time the first note was published had raised $6,206 from 106 donors.
It is not the first time that the Cuban community in the United States mourns the death of one of their own in this line of work: in February, Alexander Bandera, a 31-year-old Cuban, was killed while working as a security guard in Houston, Texas, during an armed robbery.
Filed under: