SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Loved ones are recounting the horrifying moments as a father of three was gunned down in his home, which lead to a swat standoff in Chollas View earlier this week.
Hours before the sirens and swat teams, it was a quiet morning Monday at the duplex home of Anthony Haro on 44th Street.
His twin brother Mark had swung by, and was hanging out, when they heard noises from outside the back unit of the duplex.
‘The guy was working on something in his car, and he was banging on something in his motor,” said Haro. “The kids were asleep, and we didn’t want them to wake up.”
Mark says he walked over and asked the neighbor to keep it down.
“All he said said was ‘**** deal with it. What are you doing to do with it ****? Do you want to fight?’ And that's when he threw first punch at me for no reason,” said Haro.
Mark says they tussled for a several minutes, before his brother came out and physically separated them. The neighbor went back into his home. The brothers went back to their place. Minutes later, Mark heard a knock at the door.
Mark says he saw his brother look through the door's window screen.
"Taunting my brother to come out. My brother turned around and said, ‘This fool has a gun,’ says Haro.
Moments later, a loud bang. Haro says a bullet came through the screen.
“I saw my brother flinch. Saw his fear. He told me, ‘This fool shot me.’ … After that, he just fell to the floor,” said Haro.
Just feet away were his brother's 9-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter.
“Devastating. They don't deserve to see something like that,” said Haro.
Anthony was taken to a hospital, where he died. The shooter took off, sparking a standoff in the back unit. When swat officers entered, there was no one inside. 49-year-old Eugene Martinez, arrested hours later in Clairemont Mesa.
Three days later, a brother remains mired in grief.
“I feel a big emptiness in my heart,” said Haro.
He calls his twin brother, a devoted dad and a peacemaker.
“Always goofing around, making people laugh. He was very caring,” said Haro.
The life of his 33-year-old brother was cut short by a gunshot.
“It’s senseless to be honest. It’s stupid,” said Haro.
Martinez was arraigned Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty to a murder charge. He’s being held without bail.
“Just want him to stay in jail forever. He needs to rot,’ said Haro.
A woman, Marisa Perez, is also facing charges, accused of helping Martinez hide from authorities.
A Gofundme campaign has been set up to help the Haro family with funeral and other expenses.
