Attempted murder of Roberto Lopez

Attempted murder of Roberto Lopez
Victim Roberto Lopez was hospitalized with severe injuries
Location	Superior Grocers, 1010 E Ave. J, Lancaster, California, United States
Date	July 8, 2020 around 8:30 AM
Attack type	Attempted murder
Victim	Roberto Flores Lopez, 80-year-old white Hispanic male
Assailant	Damaris Wade, 22-year-old black male

Victim - Roberto Flores Lopez
Died	(2020-08-19)August 19, 2020

Assailant - Damaris Wade
Born	(1998-03-15)March 15, 1998
Other names	Papa Cill
Criminal charge	Attempted murder Elder abuse with infliction of injury Second-degree robbery

Incident

According to local news:

The victim, Roberto Lopez Flores, is a grandfather of 17. The beating left him in the ICU of a local hospital with severe facial injuries and broken ribs.

The incident happened Wednesday morning at Superior Grocers, 1010 East Avenue J around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Roberto would always accompany his wife to the store to make sure she was safe, his family says. They were waiting in line at the checkout when he went to use the bathroom at the store.

While there, investigators say, a man attacked Roberto, repeatedly punching him and kicking him in the ribs, and then stole his wallet before fleeing on foot. His family says Lopez probably didn't have much more than $20 cash on him at the time.

Another shopper found him in a pool of blood on the floor of the bathroom. His family says he is on blood thinners and could have bled to death had he not been found quickly.

After being hospitalized, Lopez was released home for a short time before he suffered a decline due to the severity of his injuries, and died:

An 80-year-old man who was hospitalized after being beaten and robbed at a Lancaster grocery store last month has died, his grieving family said Wednesday as they called for justice in the case.

Roberto Flores Lopez’s death was a “result of severe injuries” that he suffered in the violent attack, which took place in the restroom of a Superior market on the morning of July 8, according a somber statement from relatives.

Lopez had been beaten and repeatedly kicked, even after handing over his wallet to the assailant, family members said. He was alone, bleeding on the floor, when someone else entered the restroom and found him.

The victim had suffered multiple broken ribs and facial injuries and was treated in the intensive care unit of Antelope Valley Hospital. He spent two weeks there before being released, according to the last update on a GoFundMe fundraising page set up to help cover his medical costs.

Lopez was taken back to the hospital, where he died around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

He is survived by his wife, three children, 16 grandchildren and one great-grandson, according to his family. A fourth child — a son — died Tuesday of COVID-19, according to relatives.

Victim

Roberto Flores Lopez

Donations

A GoFundMe was set up by Lopez's family to help cover medical bills and lawyer fees. As of September 1, 2020, it had accumulated $70,040.