In the early evening of May 5, 2016, a tragic event unfolded outside the May Funeral Home in Camden, New Jersey, where family and friends had gathered for the viewing of 70-year-old Rosa Serrano. Her 22-year-old grandson, Jonathan Vazquez, a male, was standing outside the funeral home on the 1000 block of South 4th Street when gunfire erupted around 6:30 p.m. The sudden violence sent shockwaves through the mourners, turning a solemn occasion into a scene of chaos and horror. Vazquez was struck by multiple gunshots.
Responding to 911 calls and a ShotSpotter activation, Camden County Police arrived to find Vazquez on the ground with critical injuries. He was rushed to Cooper University Hospital, but his wounds proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. The targeted nature of the attack, which authorities described as an 'assassination,' left his family reeling and searching for answers as to why someone would commit such a brazen act of violence.
His cousin, Maria ValCarcelo, described the horrific scene of finding him lying in a puddle of blood.
The investigation into the murder of Jonathan Vazquez led to the arrest of 31-year-old Victor Rodriguez, who was charged as an accomplice in the shooting. Authorities announced his arrest a few days after the incident, stating that they believed he aided the shooter, who remained at large. Rodriguez was taken to the Camden County Jail with his bail set at $1,000,000. The killing marked Camden's 14th homicide of the year, raising concerns about a spike in violent crime in the city.
