TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Man's Father Fatally Shot Next To Him In Car

ADVERTISEMENT

By SAMARA SODOS and JOSH POLTILOVE

News Channel 8 and The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 5, 2008

PLANT CITY - They were on their way to get money from an ATM when it happened.

Henry Lagunes and his father, 58-year-old Candelario, were in their car at a stoplight at about 7:45 a.m. today when they saw police chasing an SUV. The vehicles stopped, and a man and officers got out of their vehicles. Then Henry Lagunes heard gunfire.

Henry told his father there were bullets. Moments later, "I heard the back windshield pop and crack and a stray bullet hit my dad."

The bullet hit Candelario Lagunes in the head. He was rushed to Lakeland Regional Medical Center, where he died.

Candelario Lagunes, a bystander, was the only person hit in a hail of gunfire this morning during the shootout. Hillsborough County sheriff's officials said the man they were chasing, 25-year-old Fransisco Rangel, fired at least 17 shots at deputies from an AK-47. Deputies shot an unknown number of bullets in return.

Henry Lagunes said his father came to the United States from Mexico 16 years ago. He was proud to be here and believed in working hard and treating family with love and respect, he said. He leaves behind three children and a wife of 33 years.

When his father was shot, Henry Lagunes' first instinct wasn't to duck. It was to seek revenge against the person who harmed his father.

Lagunes turned his car around and started to drive at Rangel, he said.

Deputies waved at him to stop, and he realized that crashing into Rangel might cause his father even more harm.

In an interview after his father's death, Lagunes said life is fragile. He said he feels compassion for Rangel and that he is sorry Rangel's family has had to face this horrible ordeal.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT