What happened to Franco Medina and Sergio Ruiz? Details explored as two NYU students fatally shot in Puerto Rico 

Two NYU students, 28-year-old Sergio Palomino Ruiz, and 29-year-old Franco Medina, were fatally shot in Puerto Rico on Saturday, May 6, at around 3:50 am. The suspect has been identified as Marangelys Mclat Claudio, who has now been arrested and charged by law enforcement officials.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to gun violence. Readers’ discretion is advised.

The suspect allegedly began shooting after getting into an altercation with a security guard. Franco Medina and Sergio Ruiz were innocent bystanders who were caught in the crossfire and eventually died. The tragic deaths have shocked the entire NYU community.

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Sergio Ruiz and Franco Medina were attending a friend's birthday party in a nightclub when they were shot

At the time of the incident, Ruiz and Medina were in Puerto Rico, attending a friend’s birthday party. Both were pursuing MBAs at the Stern School of Business. They have further been described as “kind-hearted people," with many saying that they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. The incident took place at around 3.50 am local time in front of a nightclub on Loíza Street.

The suspect, Marangelys Mclat Claudio, has been arrested and charged by the San Juan District Attorney’s office. A GoFundMe page has also been launched to provide financial aid to the grieving families.

It was additionally revealed that along with Medina and Ruiz, other classmates were also present at the party. According to law enforcement officials, the two innocent bystanders were caught in the middle of a rift between the suspect and a security guard. The Chief of Police from the Puerto Rico Police Department said on Facebook,

“From the preliminary investigation, it emerges that this unfortunate event is an isolated incident due to an apparent prior dispute, which culminated in the death of these two young people, who had nothing to do with the situation.”

The department further added that with the help several governmental agencies, it will investigate the fatal shooting that took place on Saturday and will also assist the heartbroken families of the victims.

A spokesperson for the NYU stated that the school was devastated by the tragic news of the deaths of Franco Medina and Sergio Ruiz. The statement further read,

“NYU grieves today with the family, loved ones, and friends of these students, whose lives ended tragically, suddenly, and far too early. The University has been in touch with the remaining group members to offer them support and aid; none of the others were injured.”

It was also stated that NYU has reached out to the victims’ families to provide assistance to them in these difficult times. NYU has additionally organized counselling services for the students in the MBA program, especially the close ones of the deceased victims.

Several social events for the MBA students have been postponed for some time, and a memorial service to remember Franco Medina and Sergio Palomino Ruiz has been scheduled for Thursday.

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Friends open up about the deceased victim

Police has further released a video footage that captured the suspect allegedly responsible in Franco Medina and Ruiz’s deaths. Law enforcement officials are additionally looking for more suspects if any. The victims’ classmate Connie Luc spoke to the New York Post, and said,

“They were bystanders and unfortunately this tragic event happened to them — they didn’t want it, they didn’t see it, they just finished finals and they went on a holiday.”

Another classmate named Nick Mica addressed Franco Medina and Sergio Ruiz as being “kind-hearted people.” He further stated:

“Losing someone is tough, but especially your classmates in a timeframe when you need to be focused on school work, it is tough to keep your mind in the right place.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been launched by the Stern Student Government to provide financial aid to the grieving families. It has aimed at raising an amount of $80,000, and has already been successful in collecting over $67,000 from more than 770 contributors. According to the fundraiser post,

“The Stern community is devastated by the loss our dear classmates, Franco and Sergio. They were such rays of light in our community, constantly bringing laughter, smiles and joy to all of us. We express our profound sympathies for their families and want to offer assistance how we can.”

Police have confirmed the detainment of the suspect, and has also mentioned that both Franco Medina and Sergio Palomino Ruiz were international students from Peru.