Good Samaritan Michael Urioste was killed defending a convenience store clerk (PHOTOS)

• Michael Urioste was shot dead defending a store clerk.
• Eric Ford punched the woman and the young man intervened.
• Tragedy has struck the Hispanic community in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Michael Urioste did not hesitate to sacrifice his own life to defend an employee from being attacked by an angry man in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Young Hispanic Michael Urioste, 24, was shot to death by Eric Ford, 58, who is already in jail for the brutal crime.

The crime report, consulted by MundoNow details that on Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 12:20 p.m., Eric Ford was “causing a violent scene” at the Circle K gas station at the intersection of Juan Tabo Boulevard and Lomas Boulevard streets in Albuquerque.

Michael Urioste was shot to death defending a woman from a beating

Michael Urioste was shopping in the store. The young Hispanic man watched as the gas station attendant sternly asked Eric Ford to leave the area because he was causing a commotion. The employee’s demands infuriated the man.

The Homicide Division of Albuquerque Police Department (APD) now knows that Eric Ford punched the employee in the face. Michael Urioste could not stand by and confronted Eric Ford, demanding that he leave the woman alone.

Eric Ford fired his gun in front of several witnesses at the gas station

Eric Ford took Michael Urioste’s demands as an attack and the two men began fighting. They wound up in the convenience store parking lot. At one point, Urioste and Ford fell to the ground and rolled towards one of the gasoline pumps.

Eric Ford’s wife got out of a car and also began to beat Michael Urioste with a wooden cane. Another man who happened to be there intervened in the fight and separated Ford from Urioste. At that point Ford pulled out a gun and shot Urioste.

Doctors couldn’t save Michael Urioste

After the shooting Eric Ford and his wife sped off in their car. Witnesses said the killer’s car had Utah license plates. Those same witnesses called an ambulance for Michael Urioste, who was badly wounded.

APD officers and paramedics reported to the scene. The Albuquerque Fire Department (AFD) transported Michael Urioste to a hospital. However, he passed away in the emergency room.

The murderer escaped but a patrolman was able to stop him days later

After Michael Urioste’s murder, detectives from the APD Homicide Division took up the case. They recovered security footage from the store. Thanks to that, the investigators obtained details of Eric Ford’s car.

On Monday morning, February 13, 2023, an APD patrol officer spotted Eric Ford’s car in the Four Hills Shopping Center at Central Avenue and Tramoya Boulevard. The officer stopped the car and, upon confirming Ford’s identity, arrested him.

“He paid the price with his life trying to help”

Lina Urioste, a relative of Michael Urioste, started a GoFundMe campaign to ask for financial support from the community to pay for the young man’s funeral expenses. “Our angel was doing what he did best, putting others first and standing up for them. He paid the final price with his life trying to help,” wrote Lina Urioste.

“This is such an all encompassing tragedy and an unspeakable heartbreak. If we could all come together and contribute, hopefully we can alleviate some of the terrible weight on his family,»says Lina Urioste. You can contribute at Michael Urioste III expenses related to his death.