A tragic incident unfolded at a McDonald’s drive-thru in Los Angeles, California, when a 21-year-old man allegedly shot and killed another man and injured a woman. The accused, Humberto Delgado, is facing charges of voluntary manslaughter for the death of 36-year-old Feliciano “Felix” Curiel, as reported by the Los Angeles Police Department.
The incident occurred after Curiel and his fiancee, Kerin Gonzalez-Molina, had been celebrating their engagement and decided to stop at the East Hollywood McDonald’s for a late-night meal. According to the couple’s account, Delgado accused them of hitting his car while in the drive-thru line. The couple refuted his claim, stating their car was equipped with a sensor that would prevent it from colliding with anything.
A video provided by Gonzalez-Molina to local news outlet KTLA showed Curiel questioning Delgado about the alleged damage to his car. The situation escalated when Delgado reportedly exited his vehicle and began arguing with the couple. Curiel stepped in to shield his fiancee from the confrontation.
Curiel’s family shared on a GoFundMe page that he was shot twice in the heart while protecting Gonzalez-Molina. “Felix threw himself in front of Kerin to protect her. He was shot twice in the heart and died a hero at only 36 years old,” they wrote. Gonzalez-Molina was also shot in the leg during the incident.
Emergency services rushed Curiel to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. Approximately an hour after the incident, Delgado reportedly contacted the police to report the shooting, claiming it was an act of self-defense. Curiel’s family questioned this claim, pointing out that there was no accident, no weapon, and no threat of violence.
Delgado was subsequently arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter. He is currently being held in the Los Angeles County Jail on a $100,000 bond. In the meantime, Curiel’s family is raising funds to cover the costs of his burial in Mexico, where he will be laid to rest next to his mother, who recently passed away due to COVID-19.