Victims of ‘tragic’ Montgomery triple homicide at Hispanic grocery were seen as ‘easy prey,’ mayor says

The victims in Tuesday night’s triple homicide at a Hispanic grocery store in Montgomery were targeted because they were believed to be “easy prey,” the city’s mayor told a news conference Wednesday.

“Last night was a terrible situation. It was tragic, it was something that cannot be excused, nor should it be,” Mayor Steven Reed said at the news conference with Acting Police Chief John Hall. “People working their jobs in their community … should not be preyed upon, should not be targeted. And that’s what we had last night.”

Reed said robbers believe Hispanic-owned businesses like Tienda Los Hermanos, the one robbed on Tuesday night, make good targets because of the likelihood they carry a larger amount of cash than other stores, along with the belief that they are less likely to cooperate with authorities.

“There are people who believe that those who may not speak English as a first language are easy targets, and that’s the most sickening part of this,” he said.

Addressing the city’s Montgomery community, the mayor said, “we want the public to know … that we see you, we hear you and we’re not going to stand for this. We’re not going to stand for people to be hunted because people think they’re easy prey.”

Hall said police and fire medics responded to the Tienda Los Hermanos grocery store in the 4100 block of Troy Highway around 8:55 p.m. Tuesday on a call of people shot.

Officers found three victims -- George Elijah Jr., 50; Daniel Lopez, 20; and Romero Lopez 43 -- shot at the store.

Reed identified the Lopezes as family members but did not say how they were related. WSFA reported they are father and son.

Elijah and Daniel Lopez were pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

Romero Lopez was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Police are working on identifying suspects in the robbery and others targeting the Hispanic community, Hall said.

The FBI has also been contacted, Hall said, and federal charges will be pursued because commerce was interfered with and federal charges carry more severe penalties.

“We’re going to seek the most stringent justice that we can – will be on federal side,” he said.

Reed said police believe they’re “narrowing down” who is behind the crimes.

Meanwhile, the city is utilizing what Reed referred to as “credible messengers,” or influential members of Montgomery’s Hispanic community, to share cash handling, safety and other tips with Hispanic businesses.

The city is also reaching out to apartment complexes with large numbers of Hispanic tenants and pastors of Hispanic churches.

“We will make sure that what happened last night on Troy Highway will not happen again,” he said.