Public’s uncensored remarks about Hector Gil tragedy
At the Boxer's for Christ Boxing Tournament held December 18, 2009, Mark Anthony Diaz (left) proudly poses with his formidable boxing team: (l to r) Ricky Gutierrez, Kekoa Haslop and Jesus Hernandez after they went 2-1 in their bouts.
Just after 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7th, the beloved boxing trainer Hector Gil was shot twice in the back after finishing with the training of two young boxers at the Pacific Coast Boxing Gym at 1304 North Santa Fe Avenue in Vista, Ca. The following day, a former volunteer, who had a restraining order placed against him to stay away from the premisis, was charged with the murder of Gil and the shooting of two additional people, a young boxer by the name of Ricardo “Ricky” Gutierrez and fellow trainer Peter Moreno.
Call the following ramblings what you will, but this is what I read and heard in my travels the week following the murder. Whether from a blogger or from my many face to face and phone contacts, the comments are obviously spontaneous.
“He’s a nice man (Mark Diaz). I wonder if it had to do with finances and somehow he lost the club. I pray for the victim’s family.”
“Curious to know why the shooting victims were taken to Palomar Hospital instead of Tri-City which is closer.”
“There is an old adage “Who brings a knife to a gunfight?” Times, they are a changing. Now it’s “Who brings boxing gloves to a gunfight?”
“My brother in law and nephew left that place right before it happened. What the hell is wrong with people these days? That place is filled with kids everyday!”
“Wow! It used to be called Club Diaz. He’s a nice man! My husband went over there that morning and asked about Coach Diaz and no one would give him an answer. This was before the shooting! My son used to train there.”
“I have known Mark for years, worked with him for five, been friends for eight. His daughter and my daughter are friends. I have never known him to get upset, always a nice guy. So, whoever thinks Mark doesn’t know anything about boxing, hmm? I’m pretty sure a few months ago he went to Florida with his boxer to appear on ESPN, and they won the fight. I was at his opening and everything he was selling and presenting said Diaz Boxing. I never heard anyone complain. In fact I went over with Mark when he first got the building and the place was a dump; he fixed it up and made it what it is now. Even though it was in the bad part of town, he made the best of it. I have lived in Vista for 40 years. I still think in America, you’re innocent until proven guilty. My prayers go out to everybody.”
“How do you fire someone that volunteers??? So why would that upset him so much to kill someone?”
“The police report described the killer as: ‘White, bodybuilder type.’ How many white Diaz’s do you know?”
“He probably ran out of milk for his bowl of Frosted Steroids.”
“Believe it or not, Diaz had trouble understanding Spanish. Whenever someone talked to one of his boxers in their native tongue, he would sternly insist they speak English.”
“What a surprise. Whenever I hear a story like this, it makes me think the killer must have been psychotic. I knew Mark and he was far from that. The Mark Diaz I knew was very caring and compassionate. He must have been at the end of the rope and just hopeless. I will keep him and the victims’ family in my prayers.”
“My boy’s went to that gym last summer. Thank God, I didn’t renew their membership. When my boys went there, the entire staff was very nice. This just shows what our economy has done to people. The killing is just going to get worse, the more jobs that are lost. Desperate people do desperate things. This is just the beginning folks. Wake up!”
“For all of you who think this Diaz guy is a “nice” guy, I say this: how nice could he have been if he has done time in prison? Another thing, the Club was NEVER called Club Diaz; that’s what he called it. That’s why he was let go because he thought it was his. This MONSTER was taking money from kids, overworking them and they were tired of it. So the REAL OWNER let this MONSTER go. Diaz was jealous that Hector was a more skilled boxing coach and the boys he was training were leaving him for Hector because he was better at everything. Sorry to have to open your eyes, but Diaz was nothing but a monster, full of hate, anger and jealousy. Not this nice person you all say he is. And that’s a fact.”
“How are you going to shoot someone at a boxing gym? I thought you were supposed to be teaching little kids how to defend themselves, not shoot people.”
“A restraining order has about as much value as the toilet paper it’s written on.”
“Wrong. The TP is more valuable because it performs its intended purpose.”
“It’s better than nothing…but ultimately it’s only paper…hold it in front of your chest and tell me how safe you feel?”
Mexico issues a TRAVEL ALERT:
“Over 100,000 Mexican teenagers and young adults travel to resort areas throughout San Diego and Vista over Spring Break each year. While the vast majority enjoy their vacation without incident, several may die, hundreds will be arrested, and still more will make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives.
We encourage all Mexican citizens to phone home periodically to assure family members of your safety and inform them of your whereabouts. Remember, whether you travel to San Diego or Vista, you are entering a foreign country and are subject to the laws and customs of the United States of America.”
“What are they talking about? Shut up! We’re better than you.”
“That’s good for me to know. I live across from the Escondido Swap Meet. So I guess I’m already on spring break…all year!”
“And please, boil your water before drinking it.”
“What the heck is this? Why so many shootings in Vista? I personally do not like Vista, just as bad as Oceanside if you ask me.”
“No one asked what city you like, okay! It’s easy as this…plain and simple…you stay away from Vista and Oceanside then.”
“This happened right in front of my house and I didn’t even know it happened until I saw the cops arrive. It was crazy. They closed a lot of streets including the main street and the cops didn’t leave until like five or six in the morning.”
“Oh, my God, Dude, you feel special for that? Wow!”
“If convicted, Diaz will probably end up using the excuse he was under the influence of drugs…meth. It’s my hope he gets an opportunity to sit down in that comfy chair, the one the electric company affectionately refers to as: “Old Sparky.”
