Victim of downtown Tucson drive-by dies

The victim of a drive-by shooting last week in a downtown Tucson neighborhood died Monday of his injuries.

At about 10 p.m. Jan. 14 Osvaldo Raul Vargas, 35, and two other men were standing in the front yard of a home in the 400 Block of West 19th Street near South Osborne Avenue, when a red or maroon SUV pulled up and someone in the vehicle fired at the home.

“We don’t know at this point if it was random,” said Sgt. Pete Dugan, a spokesman for the Tucson Police Department. “There was no return fire. The vehicle pulled up, multiple shots were fired in the direction where the three were standing at the house, the one individual was struck.”

The men standing next to Vargas were unharmed.

Vargas was taken to a local hospital and died Monday from injuries sustained in the shooting.

Homicide Survivors will be with the Vargas family at their home tonight for a 7 p.m. press conference, said Cyra Trujillo, a victim advocate for the organization.

Vargas left behind a wife and five children ranging in age from 6 to 14, said Trujillo.

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Vargas was a delivery driver for a mattress firm, and arrived home from work at about 9 p.m. the evening he was shot, Trujillo said.

Vargas went outdoors because a neighbor called him, and while he was talking to the neighbor gunfire erupted and Vargas was struck, Trujillo said.

An expense fund for the Vargas family has been set up and checks can be written to Homicide Survivors with a note in the memo section saying the donation is for Osvaldo Raul Vargas, Trujillo said.

For more information, call Trujillo at 349-0362. 

Donations can be mailed to Homicide Survivors, 32 N. Stone Ave., Suite 1408, Tucson, Az.  85701.   

Anyone with information about the shooting should call 911 or 88-CRIME.