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Lawyer Eric Garvin from Staten Island, New York, was fatally shot while traveling to Chile. The 38-year-old reportedly went missing on January 14, 2023, in Santiago. A few days later, on January 21, Garvin’s family received the tragic news of his death. Local authorities recovered the lawyer's body in a hospital morgue.
Eric Garvin’s father uploaded an emotional post on Facebook, where he mentioned that the 38-year-old took a snapshot of a building in one of Santiago’s drug-infested areas. According to him, a few people arrived at the scene soon after and opened fire on Eric Garvin. The New York City lawyer reportedly died at the scene.
Media outlets have tried to contact the US Embassy in Santiago for further comment. However, no response has been received as of now. According to ABC7, Eric’s father and sister flew to Chile to meet with the local authorities investigating the crime.
Staten Island lawyer Eric Garvin was shot thrice in Santiago soon after he clicked a picture in a drug-infested area
New York City lawyer Eric Garvin was traveling to Chile when he was fatally shot in the capital city of Santiago. After being last seen on January 14 in the capital city, his dead body was recovered from a hospital morgue on Saturday, January 21, 2023. His father, Eric D. Garvin, told Eyewitness News that this incident is "the darkest day" of his and his wife's life:
“From a father’s perspective, this is the darkest day in my life and my wife’s life.”
He further added:
“What they told us was that my son was innocently walking down the street, paused for a moment, and took a snapshot of a building in a drug-infested area. And immediately following that three gentlemen came across the street grabbed my son and stole his phone, shot him three times and he died there on the scene.”
In addition, Eric’s father uploaded a post on Facebook stating:
“The first few days we couldn’t see any light in this tragic news, but today we are beginning to see a glimmer of light and hope. Your prayers and your love are helping us see the light again.”
According to authorities, the attack on Eric Garvin seemed quite random. The shooters also reportedly stole Eric’s cell phone, who went out to grab something to eat.
Eric Garvin, or “Gene,” graduated from the University of Maryland and has lived a life of service. The father stated that his son wanted to advocate for people who are not given much importance in society. He had also worked with former Mayor Bill de Blasios’s office. Apart from that, Eric's family noted that he loved to travel and had already visited more than 40 countries.
Adding to her brother's curiosity about socializing with people from other cultures, Naomi said:
“I want people to be more like him, I want people to make space for each other. I want them to be curious about meeting each other and experiencing each other’s cultures.”
The family reported that the New York lawyer was supposed to fly to Argentina a day after he was fatally shot.
