Man Killed in Shooting During Facebook Marketplace Sale
A 66-year-old man was fatally shot in broad daylight while attempting to sell an iPhone to a woman he had arranged to meet through Facebook Marketplace. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at a gas station in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas.
The victim, identified as Ahmad Alkhalaf, was meeting the woman, later identified as 19-year-old Amaya Medrano, at approximately 3:00 p.m. when the shooting took place. Authorities say the encounter turned violent outside a gas station located near the intersection of I-35 and South Marsalis Avenue.
According to FOX 4, local resource officers from nearby Felix G. Botello Elementary School heard the gunfire and rushed to the scene. They found Alkhalaf lying beside a pickup truck with gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Dallas Police Department launched an investigation, reviewing surveillance footage from the area. The video revealed key details, including distinctive tattoos on Medrano’s face and neck, which led to her identification. Police were able to track down Medrano by cross-referencing the tattoos with her social media profiles.
Medrano was arrested and now faces capital murder charges in connection with the shooting. The motive for the crime is still under investigation, but authorities are looking into the possibility of a robbery gone wrong during the transaction.
The tragic shooting has raised concerns about the risks involved in meeting strangers for online transactions. Local law enforcement continues to urge the public to take precautions when using online marketplaces to buy and sell items.
Photo credit: Flickr
