HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Lotte Duty Free Guam donated $8,000 to the Guam Visitors Bureau and to the family of the Korean tourist who was fatally shot in Tumon earlier this month.
On Monday, Lotte Duty Free Guam presented the check to GVB.
“The donation went towards GVB’s fund drive to support (the) Guam Crime Stoppers program and to assist the family of the Korean tourist who was the victim of the Jan. 4 robbery and shooting incident on Gun Beach Road,” a press release from Lotte issued Tuesday stated.
“The unfortunate incident on Jan. 4, resulting in the death of the visitor on the fifth of January, struck a chord with everyone who lives and works on Guam. This donation is to assist with the victim’s family’s hardship expenses and to aid with the local crime stoppers program,” Jaejun Lee, CEO of Lotte, said in the press release.
“As a Guam tourism industry stakeholder, we believe it is critical to ensure our visitors have a safe and positive experience on the island,” Lee added.
Shooting
On Jan. 4, 60-year-old Hea Jun Hwang was walking with his wife from the TaoTao Tasi dinner show at The Beach Restaurant & Bar in Tumon when they were approached by a vehicle with two men inside. The man sitting in the passenger seat then “presented a pistol and demanded (the woman’s) purse,” court documents state.
A struggle ensued, during which Hwang was shot and fell to the ground. The suspects then sped off in the vehicle with a Lacoste purse that contained a wallet and bank cards. Hwang was taken to the hospital, where he died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen caused by a 9 mm bullet.
The Guam Police Department subsequently launched an investigation that involved obtaining surveillance footage from businesses in the area and identifying the vehicle and a portion of the license plate number. Additionally, a tip helped investigators track down Stefen Camacho, who was known to drive the vehicle, and Keoki Junior Santos, both of whom were from Yona, the complaint stated.
According to Post files, GVB will be awarding $50,000 for information on the shooting and robbery after there is a conviction in the Superior Court of Guam.
Camacho was eventually taken into custody Jan. 9. He allegedly stated he and Santos went to Tumon to “try to snatch someone’s purse” to recoup a $100 gambling loss.
Following the announcement of Camacho’s apprehension on Jan. 9, GPD Chief Stephen Ignacio confirmed Hwang’s wife had returned to Korea.
Camacho assisted police in recovering Hwang’s wife’s purse, credit card and personal items, which were discarded on Adrian Sanchez Road in Harmon, in the hopes of returning the items to the family, Post files state.
Santos was found later and took his own life as he was being approached by officers in Yona, according to the complaint.
Camacho is currently confined at the Department of Corrections on $1 million cash bail and, if convicted, faces life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 77 years.
From left, Letitia Law-Byerly, marketing manager, Lotte Duty Free Guam; Gerry Perez, vice president, Guam Visitors Bureau; Jaejun Lee, CEO, Lotte Duty Free Guam; and Joohyung Hwangbo, chief financial officer/chief operating officer, Lotte Duty Free Guam.
