Shooting victim says gunmen claimed to be gang members. They wanted to get paid, cops say

Two brothers had already beaten a 37-year-old man who owed them money with a sander, when they raised the violence to the next, more horrific level.

As the victim laid on a bed, bleeding from his beating, Apolinar Aguilar held a pillow over the man’s head and ordered his brother, Gerardo, to shoot him. Gerardo fired twice into the man’s head, Bradenton said, citing an interview with Apolinar Aguilar after he was arrested.

The man survived the shooting and is recovering from his injuries.

Both brothers are facing attempted murder and armed home invasion charges after police said they left the victim for dead and stole some of his belongings as he lay on his bed, unconscious and bleeding. Apolinar Aguilar, 26, who was arrested hours after the shooting, remains in custody at the Manatee County jail where he is being held without bond.

Gerardo Aguilar, 22, who was apprehended in Hillsborough County on Saturday, is still being held at the Hillsborough County jail awaiting transfer to Manatee.

When two brothers went to the 37-year-old victim’s Bradenton mobile home about noon Thursday to collect money he owed them, they claimed to be members of the SUR 13 street gang and Gulf Cartel, according to Bradenton police reports.

The victim heard a knock on the door and watched as his girlfriend opened the door. The Aguilasr stormed into his mobile home in the 2200 block of Sixth Avenue East in the Manatee Mobile Home Park.

Apolinar “Pino” Aguilar was armed with a baseball bat and his brother, Gerardo, was armed with a silver revolver, police said.

“We are Sureños” and “We are from the Gulf Cartel,” the brothers told the victim as they immediately confronted him, the victim later told police.

Police have not been able to confirm that the brothers are members of SUR 13 or the Gulf Cartel, according to spokesman Capt. Brian Theirs, but the case remains under investigation.

According to police reports, Gerardo Aguilar held the revolver to the victim’ stomach as he asked him, “Are you going to talk to us?”

The victim told the brothers that he was not not going to speak with them, and they responded by hitting him on the side of the head, causing him to fall onto his bed. According to police reports, the victim’s girlfriend was forced to load tools and a television in a white Cadillac that was parked outside.

The beating continued as they continued to ask, “Are you going to talk to us?”

When the victim again said no, Apolinar Aguilar held a pillow over the victim’s head and ordered his brother to shoot him, according to police.

The victim’s girlfriend did not witness the shooting, police said.

The brothers left, but returned to steal more of the victim’s belongings, Apolinar Aguilar later admitted to police, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The victim lost consciousness for a few hours, before he stumbled out of his home, still bleeding, and asked a neighbor for help. She called 911 and the victim was rushed to Blake Medical Center where doctors determined he had been shot twice. One bullet was removed from his right cheek and another bullet was lodged in his skull.

Later that night, police arrested Apolinar Aguilar outside his home in the 1600 block of 14th Street East, about a mile and a half from the victim’s home. He agreed to speak with detectives, admitting that he and his brother had gone to the victim’s home to collect a debt. He admitted to the beating and shooting, according to arrest reports.

He also admitted to stealing some of the victim’s tools and that the tools and gun were hidden in the attic of his house, police said.

This story was originally published July 24, 2019 at 7:24 AM.