A shooting occurred in Cebu City on the morning of August 17, 2024, as a man was fatally shot while visiting a local bakery. The victim, identified as Mark Anthony Gikain Rico, 44, was gunned down at 4:05 a.m. in Sitio Zapanta, Barangay Tejero.
Rico, a widower and resident of Sitio Riverside in the same barangay, sustained multiple gunshot wounds from a .45 caliber pistol. The unidentified assailant quickly fled the scene. Neighbors rushed him to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center on a motorcycle.
The police reported that Rico and a companion were having coffee when the suspect suddenly arrived and opened fire. Forensic evidence, including four shell casings and one slug from a .45 caliber weapon, was recovered.
Investigations revealed that Rico had a complex history and had previously served ten years in Cebu City Jail for a murder case. In a police interview before he died, Rico claimed to recognize the suspect as someone related to a person he had previously killed.
While revenge is being considered as a primary motive, authorities are also exploring potential connections to illegal drug activities. The individual described by Rico is now a person of interest in the ongoing investigation.