First Published:
9:50 AM PDT, August 5, 2022
A New Jersey teen has been charged with shooting two brothers, resulting in the death of one, according to a local report.
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office says the 17-year-old, whose name has not been released, is charged with first-degree murder along with other offenses.
Authorities say on June 6, the teen tried to rob Oscar Palacios, 54, and his brother Jose, 57, while they were opening the Priori’s Deli in New Jersey, according to the local ABC affiliate.
According to the outlet, family members say Oscar had been working at Priori’s for 22 years and had just taken it over a few months prior.
According to the police, a fight ensued and neither brother was armed. The skirmish resulted in Oscar being shot in the chest and killed. Jose survived.
According to the outlet, the teen was taken into custody on an unrelated warrant on June 21.
Prosecutors said this is when detectives noticed the teen was wearing the same sneakers that were seen on the surveillance video in relation to the deli murder. Allegedly, detectives also saw what appeared to be dried blood on the shoes, according to the outlet.
Prosecutors said that the blood on the sneakers ended up being a match for the late Palacios, according to the outlet.
The brothers’ family and community talked to ABC about the loss of Oscar, sharing that the deli was popular and that the 57-year-old will be missed.
“No matter if you have money, you don’t have money, you can come to the deli,” Antonio Palacios, the victims’ other brother said to the outlet.
Dario Panfili, owner of Dario’s Imported Car Service located next door to Priori’s said, “I feel like, like I lost a part of the community, not just breakfast and lunch, but they were great people to talk to.”
