A Canadian man visiting Wisconsin for a golf event was fatally shot by a DoorDash driver, according to local law enforcement. The victim, identified as 32-year-old Giovanni “Mike” Robinson, was part of a group that the driver alleges insulted him and made derogatory gestures after he refused to give them a free ride.
Surveillance footage from a nearby business captured Robinson and four others walking on Pine Street in Sheboygan last Wednesday. The group had reportedly been denied a free ride by the DoorDash driver, 35-year-old Luis E. Cruz Burgos, and were heard discussing a “shake down,” according to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime.
The complaint also includes statements from one of the men in the group, who allegedly said he was unwilling to pay Cruz Burgos $40 for a short ride, regardless of language barriers. The group had been drinking at a local tavern and were returning to their hotel when they encountered Cruz Burgos.
According to the complaint, the group had a non-hostile interaction with Cruz Burgos, who was parked on Pine Street. They reportedly asked him in Spanish for a ride, which he agreed to provide for $40. The men, however, were not willing to pay that amount and decided to walk instead.
Law enforcement officials say that Cruz Burgos drove away in his SUV, only to return and allegedly open fire on the group. One of the men reported hearing a vehicle accelerate and seeing headlights approaching before hearing what he initially thought was a firecracker, but turned out to be a gunshot.
Robinson was fatally shot and died from a single gunshot wound. Cruz Burgos, in his statement to the police, admitted to encountering the group but denied shooting anyone. He described the men as intoxicated and attempting to stop cars, and claimed there was no argument over the proposed ride fare.
Cruz Burgos told police that he refused to drive the group to their hotel and that they insulted him and made derogatory gestures as he drove away. He claimed that he made a U-turn and drove past the group again, but denied having a gun or shooting anyone.
According to the complaint, Cruz Burgos stated that he no longer owned any firearms due to a 2019 court order from Florida related to a domestic incident. Despite his claims, Cruz Burgos, a Sheboygan resident, was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide. If convicted, he could face up to 60 years in prison.
A GoFundMe page set up for Robinson’s family describes him as having been killed while celebrating his first hole-in-one on a golf trip. The page refers to Cruz Burgos as a “monster” who allegedly took Robinson’s life in a drive-by shooting.