One Dead, Murder Suspect In Custody After Shooting Outside Thomasville Restaurant

THOMASVILLE, Ala. (BuzzReport) — A Saturday night shooting outside a Thomasville restaurant has left one man dead and another facing murder charges, according to local authorities.

The victim has been identified as Henry Christopher Howard, 26, who was fatally shot in the parking lot of Mi Mexico restaurant located along U.S. Highway 43.

Thomasville police responded shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday following multiple reports of gunfire at the restaurant. When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered Howard suffering from a gunshot wound in the parking lot.

Emergency responders transported Howard to Grove Hill Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Authorities arrested Hector Hugo Duran Gutierrez, 51, who has been charged with murder and discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling. Police described Gutierrez as a foreign national.

According to Thomasville Police Chief Mitchell Stuckey, the suspect is a former employee of Mi Mexico. Officers located and took Gutierrez into custody behind the restaurant shortly after the shooting.

Investigators have not released details regarding what led to the deadly confrontation, and no motive has been disclosed at this time.

The shooting has shaken the Thomasville community as detectives continue gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses to determine exactly what occurred in the moments leading up to Howard’s death.

Authorities say the investigation remains active and ongoing. Additional information is expected to be released as the case develops.