No arrests made yet in Feb. 1 shooting, police chief reports

Investigators with the Cairo Police Department have continued to interview the victim and witnesses of a Feb. 1 shooting in northeast Cairo, but so far they have not been able to identify the gunman or the perpetrators of the crime, according to Police Chief Keith Sandefur.
The chief reports this week that a photo lineup was compiled in an effort to identify the perpetrators, but as of Tuesday afternoon that had been unsuccessful.
Police were called to 905 11th Ave. NE, at 9:15 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 1. Police officer Donnie Roland found the victim, 46-year-old Victor Alvarez Cortez, lying in the doorway of his home bleeding from the upper left side of his chest.
A man later identified as Cortez’s roommate told police he was asleep when he heard a knock at the door and then Cortez calling for him followed by a gunshot.
The roommate, Marcelo Lopez, said he grabbed a machete and as he was running to the living room, heard another gunshot. In the living room, Lopez saw a young male dressed in dark colored clothes standing over Cortez, according to police.
The man pointed the gun at Lopez as he ran from the house, but the gun did not fire, Lopez told police. He also said he then saw several people get into a grey or silver car that drove west on 11th Avenue NE.
A neighbor told police she heard gunshots and saw four people get into a grey car heading west on 11th Avenue NE.
Officer Roland reported finding a .40-caliber casing on the ground in front of the Northeast Cairo residence.
“If you have any information concerning this crime please call the Cairo Police Department at 229-378-3096,” Chief Sandefur said.