A 21-year-old man was shot dead by an assailant in a minivan at 2:50 a.m. on Sunday, November 10, 2024, outside a fast food chain on General Maxilom Avenue in Cebu City.

The victim, identified as John Mike Semblante, 21, was a resident of Barangay Tipolo in Mandaue City.

According to his 17-year-old companion, they had been drinking with friends at Uptown Club Mango on General Maxilom Avenue, Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City.

Around 2:45 a.m., they decided to head home, with the victim riding a motorcycle driven by a friend, along with another motorcyclist.

While stopped at a traffic light in front of Jollibee on General Maxilom Avenue, a man suddenly got out of a green minivan, pulled out an unidentified firearm and shot the victim in the left abdomen. The attacker quickly got back into the minivan and sped away from the scene.

Emergency medical responders from Barangay Kamputhaw arrived and rushed the victim to the Cebu City Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead at 3:35 am.

Police at the Abellana Police Station 2 are currently examining closed circuit television (CCTV) footage from the area, including the route of the suspect vehicle, to identify the attacker and launch a manhunt.

Investigators, which include personnel from the Cebu City Forensic Science Unit, recovered a bullet casing of an unidentified caliber at the crime scene.

The victim’s mother, who visited the mortuary where her son’s body was taken, said her son had no known enemies and was a good person.

She admitted, however, that John Mike had recently been released from prison after being arrested for illegal drug sales.

She said he has turned his life around and has not returned to his past activities.

The family is demanding justice for his death and urging the police to arrest the suspect as soon as possible so that he can be held accountable. (AYB)