Bacolod businessman shot dead by gunmen outside a convenience store

Bacolod, Negros Occidental. INQUIRER FILES

BACOLOD CITY — A businessman was shot to death by two unidentified gunmen as he was leaving a convenience store at Sofia Gonzaga Street in Barangay Estefania in Bacolod City at 4:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 18.

Elson Casalan Cepeda, 48, and his wife had just left their bar and stopped by a convenience store to buy food when the killing took place.

Capt. Francis Depasucat, Police Station 4 chief, said the businessman emerged from the store and was about to open the door of his white sports utility vehicle (SUV) when two men emerged from a parked car and shot him.

The gunmen then fled on board their car that was parked behind the SUV as shown by the footage of a closed-circuit television.

Cepeda’s wife and two children of their relatives were in the SUV when the shooting happened, witnesses said.

Depasucat said the victim was shot multiple times and was declared dead at the Riverside Medical Center.

Cepeda owned a bar and was engaging in the buy and sell business.

Depasucat said they are still determining the motive behind the crime.