Father Killed In Front Of Young Children While Trying To Stop Carjacking: Prosecutors

A 17-year-old New Jersey boy has been arrested on suspicion of killing a father in front of his kids while trying to steal his car, authorities announced Tuesday.

Twenty-seven-year-old Yoni Emmanuel Cruz-Rodriguez was standing behind his white Dodge Durango on the night of July 12 when the suspect entered the car and attempted to drive away, the county prosecutor’s office said in a press release. When Cruz-Rodriguez attempted to climb in through the back of his car, the teen shot him several times, authorities said.

The Durango crashed into two parked cars a short distance away before the teen got out and fled the scene, according to the release. First responders arrived at 10:20 p.m. and found the car overturned, with Cruz-Rodriguez and two children inside. Cruz-Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene, but the children were unhurt, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors named the victim as Yony in their press release; however, his social media and a GoFundMe launched by his brother spelled his name ‘Yoni.’ A native of Honduras, Cruz-Rodriguez leaves behind a 3-year-old boy and a two-month-old girl. His family is raising money to return his body to Honduras.

The teen, whose name is being withheld because he is a juvenile, was arrested on Monday “without incident” by a team that included U.S. Marshals. He was charged with one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of first-degree carjacking, two counts of second-degree aggravated assault and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, as well as weapons offenses, prosecutors said.

He is being held in juvenile detention pending a court hearing.