On September 29, 2024, 60-year-old Rolando Viray Yanga, a custodian at Fitness 19 gym in Daly City, California, was tragically shot and killed outside his home. The incident stemmed from a confrontation earlier that day at the gym, where Yanga had reprimanded a member, 21-year-old Maarij Abdullah Afridi, for repeatedly violating gym cleanliness protocols, such as walking barefoot and improper disposal of items.
Following the dispute, Afridi, with his mother, 50-year-old Zaib Un Nisa Afridi, allegedly followed Yanga to his residence on South Mayfair Avenue. Surveillance footage captured their vehicle trailing Yanga's car. Upon arrival, Afridi reportedly approached Yanga and fired approximately eight shots from a 10mm handgun, striking him multiple times at close range. Yanga was pronounced dead at the scene.
Law enforcement swiftly apprehended both suspects. Maarij Afridi was charged with murder, including a special circumstance of lying in wait, which could result in life imprisonment without parole if convicted. His mother, Zaib Afridi, was charged as an accessory to the crime, accused of driving the getaway vehicle.
The Daly City community has been deeply affected by this senseless act of violence. Mayor Juslyn Manalo expressed condolences to Yanga's family, noting that this was the city's first homicide of the year. Yanga is remembered as a beloved husband, father of four, and grandfather, whose life was tragically cut short over a dispute concerning gym etiquette.
