A heated argument over a shared water valve turned deadly in the Rio Palma condominium complex in Escazu, Costa Rica, on Monday morning, June 3, 2024. Eduardo Ramírez Zamora, 53, fatally shot his neighbor, Otoniel Orozco Mendoza, 53, in front of horrified onlookers. The altercation was captured on a disturbing video.
The video starts with a woman walking out of her garage as her neighbors, the Zamoras, shout at her. The situation worsened quickly when Zamora stepped in, initially concealing a gun after loading it. Despite pleas from neighbors to de-escalate, Zamora and Mendoza confronted each other outside their homes, with Mendoza throwing the first punch. The fight turned fatal when Zamora fired multiple shots, hitting Mendoza several times.
“We heard a commotion outside, and when we looked out, we saw one neighbor shooting the other, who did not survive,” a witness told the media. The escalating tensions between the two men had been a long-standing issue. Witnesses described Zamora as having a history of antagonizing Mendoza and his family, often making derogatory comments about Mendoza’s Nicaraguan heritage.
After the initial shots, Zamora continued to fire even as Mendoza lay on the ground, fatally wounding him. “Once he was lying on the ground, the other neighbor continued to shoot him without fear,” another witness recounted. Despite immediate efforts from neighbors to save Mendoza, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene. He suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and legs, according to the Judicial Investigation Department (OIJ).
Mendoza’s family expressed their frustration with local authorities, highlighting that they had repeatedly reported Zamora’s aggressive behavior without significant intervention. “They had ongoing issues for a long time. Even legal action was taken against him, but nothing was done to resolve the situation,” a relative said. Neither the police force nor the OIJ acted,” the mourning relative added.
The video, which spread quickly online, showed the dramatic and deadly confrontation that shocked the Rio Palma community. Other condominium residents expressed their disbelief, noting that they had no idea Zamora owned a firearm. They had previously tried to mediate between the two parties, urging them to resolve their differences peacefully for the sake of the neighborhood.
Zamora’s father mentioned that the conflicts began due to renovations in Mendoza’s house, and on the day of the incident, Mendoza allegedly attacked Zamora’s wife. Zamora claimed he acted in self-defense.
Local authorities have arrested Zamora, who will be held in preventive detention for three months as the investigation continues.