A North Texas father described as "possessive" fatally shot his daughter's boyfriend and then ran over the couple before driving away and taking his own life Friday evening, authorities said.
Arlington police confirmed 22-year-old Omar Soto was gunned down in the Lincoln Square Shopping Center at about 10 p.m. Friday after walking over to introduce himself to his girlfriend's father.
Soto, who graduated in May from the University of Texas at Arlington with a degree in architecture, died at the scene. The identity of Soto's girlfriend has not been released; she remains hospitalized with serious injuries after being run over by her father.
Investigators said officers were called to the shopping center after witnesses reported hearing gunshots. Police arrived to find two victims, Soto and his girlfriend.
Detectives soon learned that the girl's father, later identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office as 43-year-old Rafael Brena Arteaga, followed the couple to a movie theater at the shopping center.
Police said as the couple and a female friend exited the theater and walked to their car, Arteaga cut them off.
A witness told police it appeared Soto walked up to Arteaga to introduce himself. Police said when Arteaga asked Soto his name, Soto responded and Arteaga shot him multiple times. Arteaga then got into his vehicle and ran over both Soto and his daughter, before driving away, police said.
Officers later found Arteaga's vehicle on the west side of the city. After trying to communicate with him and receiving no response, officers approached the vehicle and found him dead inside from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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According to police, Arteaga, who had no criminal record and was a licensed gun carrier, was known to be "over protective" and "possessive" of his daughter.
The investigation into the murder-suicide is ongoing and police have not yet confirmed a motive in the shooting.
Omar Soto's family and friends gathered at his high school alma mater, Moisés E. Molina High School in Dallas, Sunday afternoon to celebrate his life.
His friends said they did not know the young woman he was seen with and never expected this to happen to Soto.
Carlos Martinez said his friend Soto was a "nice, humble person."
"He was the greatest guy I ever met," Martinez said.
Soto's friends said he had his eyes set on grad school and becoming an architect.
"I got to go see him graduate and walk the stage this summer," said a young man to the crowd of about 50 people. "I told him he'd be there for my graduation. I told him I wanted to go to UTA and be an architect just like him."
Each wrote a special message to Soto on a white balloon.
