KANSAS CITY, Kan. — As police continue the investigation into Sunday morning’s shooting at a Kansas City, Kansas, bar that left four people dead and five others injured, friends and relatives remembered their loved ones on Monday.
Moises Villegas identified his cousin, 29-year-old Alfredo Calderon, as one of the victims who died in the shooting.
On Monday, Villegas described the moments he learned of the tragic connection to the shooting.
“My friend called me and said, ‘Alfredo is one of the guys who was at the bar and got shot,’” he said. “When I heard his name, I just didn’t believe it. It felt like a ton of bricks just falling on my head.”
Villegas told 41 Action News that Calderon was a kind and giving person who left behind two young children.
“His whole life was those two kids; he lived for them,” Villegas said. “I loved that man. He was a good role model.”
Villegas said Calderon was good friends with Everado Meza, who also died in the shooting at Tequila KC.
“Every time you’ll see Alfredo, you’ll see (Everado),” Villegas said. “They were always together, always hanging out, always having fun. They were best friends.”
Martin Rodriguez was another of the shooting victims. Sabrina Hernandez, a friend who told 41 Action News that Rodriguez lived upstairs from her home, said he considered her family as his own.
“He was such a caring man,” she wrote on Facebook. “He would always say we were family to him. You did not deserve this but you will be missed. You will be remembered for being such a caring man. Rest in peace to a great loving man.”
The bartender early Sunday morning at Tequila KC, Jose Valdez, said Rodriguez was sitting at the bar and believes the bullet that struck and killed Rodriguez likely was meant for him.
Throughout the day, people stopped by Tequila KC to remember the victims. While some prayed, others left items at the site of the tragedy.
Mark Parsons, who leads a Bible study class in Shawnee, posted his phone number to Facebook as a way to help anyone impacted by the shooting.
“When I heard about this, I thought I owe it to those people,” he said. “I’d be more than willing to take whatever time it is out of my day to talk to them and help them in some way.”
Moving forward, Villegas said the tragedy would leave plenty of heartbreak and pain.
“The world lost an angel,” he said. “Violence like that shouldn’t be happening in communities. We need to work together to fight the violence.”
