Mark Anthony Romero, a 34-year-old Hispanic male, was fatally shot in Tucson, Arizona, on the evening of Friday, July 24, 2020. The incident occurred at the O.K. Market & Liquor store, situated at 2002 E. Irvington Road. What began as a verbal dispute between Romero and another individual escalated into a physical altercation. During the fight, the other man brandished a handgun and shot Romero.
Responding to a 9-1-1 call around 6:00 p.m., Tucson police officers arrived at the scene to
find Romero with gunshot wounds. Despite immediate medical attention from the officers and subsequent efforts by paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the location. The tragic event left the local community shaken by the sudden violence that erupted in a familiar neighborhood establishment.
The investigation into the homicide was swift. Detectives from the Tucson Police Department were able to identify the suspect as 31-year-old Isaac R. Serna-Yslas. Through their investigation, they learned that after the shooting, Serna-Yslas fled the scene. However, law enforcement officials were able to locate and apprehend him a short time later in the vicinity of the liquor store.
Following his arrest, Isaac R. Serna-Yslas was booked into the Pima County Jail on one count of first-degree murder and one count of prohibited possession of a firearm. The charges reflected the gravity of the crime and the swift actions of the police in bringing a suspect into custody. The death of Mark Anthony Romero serves as a somber reminder of how quickly a confrontation can turn fatal, leaving a lasting impact on a family and a community.
