In a tragic turn of events on a December evening in Aurora, Colorado, a young man lost his life while attempting to act as a peacemaker. Rudy Arguello-Rios, an 18-year-old male, was fatally shot on December 22, 2020, in the parking lot of the Mariscos El Rey 2 restaurant. The incident, which began over a complaint about cold food, escalated into a violent altercation that ended his life.
He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries less than an hour later.
The conflict began when a group of patrons, which included several adults and children, complained to their waitress that their food was cold and refused to pay their bill. When the waitress threatened to call the police, the group left the restaurant. The waitress followed them into the parking lot, and Arguello-Rios, who had witnessed the dispute, also went outside to defend her. Witnesses described him as a 'peacekeeper' who was urging the confrontational group to stop being rude and to be respectful. A physical fight then broke out between the diners and the group that had left without paying.
During the brawl, a 28-year-old woman named Jacqueline De Paz allegedly produced a handgun. As Arguello-Rios bent down to help someone who had been injured in the fray, De Paz reportedly pointed the weapon at him. In an attempt to de-escalate the volatile situation, Arguello-Rios tried to wrestle the gun away from her. It was at this moment that De Paz allegedly fired a single shot, striking him in the chest. The bullet hit an artery and one of his lungs, causing the fatal injury. After the shooting, the suspect and her group fled the scene in a black Mercedes.
Two days after the incident, authorities located and arrested Jacqueline De Paz during a traffic stop in north Aurora. She was taken into custody and subsequently charged with second-degree murder and a felony menacing charge. De Paz was booked into the Arapahoe County jail, where she was held on a $1 million bond.
