Man killed in parking lot shootout identified
Wichita police on Tuesday identified the man killed in a weekend parking lot shootout as 25-year-old Erick Vazquez.
Vazquez and a friend had gone to the strip mall at 13th and Vesta, between Oliver and Hillside, around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday to buy cigarettes when two groups of people pulled out guns and started shooting at each other. Vazquez was waiting in a truck when he was hit.
Police said Monday he likely was caught in the crossfire and was not an intended target. Over the weekend, authorities called the shooting gang-related.
Vazquez’s death is the city’s 19th homicide of the year. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the police department’s homicide section at 316-268-4181 or Wichita-Sedgwick County Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
Amy Renee Leiker: 316-268-6644, @amyreneeleiker
This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 12:07 PM with the headline "Man killed in parking lot shootout identified."