A Florida father was shot and killed shortly after taking his daughter to her first day of school, in what authorities say began as his attempt to stop a volatile dispute between a couple.
Daryl Hill, 56, died Tuesday morning after he came upon a crash scene near Plymouth Sorrento and West Ponkan roads and stepped in during an argument between a man and a woman, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.
His wife, Suzanne Hill, who had been married to him for 17 years, said she was following his location as he rode his bicycle back home when the deadly encounter took place.
‘When his phone remained in the same position for an hour and he didn’t answer, I went home to check on him, and I saw the crime scene unit,’ Suzanne told WESH 2 News.
‘I didn’t see the scene, thank God, but I saw the detectives and confirmed my worst nightmare,’ she added.
Investigators soon identified the alleged gunman as 26-year-old Raul Lionel Vazquez. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in what officials described as the ‘senseless’ killing of the father-of-three.
‘Daryl was a small man but larger than life,’ Suzanne said. ‘Very, very angry. Very angry with somebody to do this to this man and my family.’
The shooting happened at about 8.30am Tuesday as Hill was cycling home from dropping off his 10-year-old daughter at school in Apopka, roughly 20 miles northwest of Orlando.
Daryl Hill, 56, of Florida, was shot dead Tuesday morning after trying to break up a heated argument between a couple
The gunman was quickly identified by police as 26-year-old Raul Lionel Vazquez
His wife of 17 years, Suzanne Hill, said he had just dropped their 10-year-old daughter off for her first day of school
The killing came after Hill stopped at a crash scene near Plymouth Sorrento and West Ponkan roads to separate a couple
Around the same time, police began receiving reports of a man and woman physically fighting inside a vehicle. Witnesses then told deputies they saw a pickup truck crash into an SUV.
Vazquez, shirtless and shoeless, climbed out of the pickup truck with an unidentified woman and continued arguing with her, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Hill stumbled upon the scene as Vazquez was allegedly yelling in the woman’s face, prompting him to get off his bike and attempt to separate the pair, per the document.
The confrontation turned physical, with all three tumbling into some bushes, according to the affidavit. After getting back up, Hill ran away as Vazquez allegedly grabbed a shotgun from the back of the truck.
Hill, still running with his hands raised, was screaming ‘Help!’ when a shot rang out, sending the father crashing face-first to the ground, according to police.
‘During that altercation, a bystander attempted to intervene and was shot. The bystander was transported to the hospital, where he died,’ the sheriff’s office said.
During police interviews, the woman told investigators that Hill was the aggressor and had pushed Vazquez, according to court documents. When pressed further, she requested an attorney.
Meanwhile, Vazquez also claimed Hill attacked him first, but deputies noted that he ‘had many different accounts of the incident.’
Police were receiving reports of a man and woman physically fighting inside a vehicle. Witnesses told deputies they saw a pickup truck crash into an SUV
Hill stumbled upon the scene as Vazquez was allegedly yelling in the woman’s face. The confrontation turned physical, with all three tumbling into some bushes
Hill ran away as Vazquez allegedly grabbed a shotgun from the back of the truck. Hill was screaming ‘Help!’ when a shot rang out, sending the father crashing face-first to the ground
During police interviews, both Vazquez and the woman claimed Hill was the aggressor
Vazquez remains in the Orange County Jail without bond
Vazquez said his martial arts and wrestling training had him ‘getting the better of’ Hill before admitting he fired the shotgun, deputies wrote in the affidavit.
The shocking murder left Hill’s family devastated, with his wife, Suzanne, describing him as a ‘man who wanted to make everybody laugh,’ according to WESH.
‘He was also the kindest heart and would protect anybody, especially his family, with his life, and I think he did that today,’ she said. ‘I think he did that today. I really do. Really a hero.’
Vazquez remains in the Orange County Jail without bond.
