Police: 2nd suspect dies after robbery shooting

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A second robbery suspect has died after a shooting in Gwinnett County late Tuesday night. 

Officers were called to a report of a person shot on Indian Trail Lilburn Road around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Responding officers found a car with five males inside. Two of them, including a teen, had been shot. Police said they were taken to the hospital where 16-year-old Junior Lanuza-Gutierrez died. 

The second person shot, 20-year-old Erik Vargas, later died. 

DeKalb Schools confirmed Gutierrez was a former student at Dunwoody High School. They released a statement mourning his passing.

"It is with great sorrow that DeKalb County School District confirms the passing of former Dunwoody High School student Lanuza Gutierrez. The district has no further statement on this tragedy."  the posting concluded. 

Investigators were initially told the shooting happened after a road rage incident on Interstate 85 northbound, but later determined it stemmed from an attempted robbery. According to police, the five passengers were in a Nissan Altima when they tried to rob someone in a parking lot along Indian Trail Lilburn Road.

"When we arrived on scene, they told us the road rage story and that is when we began investigating.  As it turns out, nothing happened on I-85, nothing happened on Indian Trail. This all occurred in a parking lot of a business," Sgt. Jake Smith revealed.

The victim they were trying to rob shot at the Nissan Altima, which fled the scene. 

Police said the suspects made up a story about being the victims of a road rage fight and called the police. 

The three suspects in the Nissan who weren't shot have been charged with felony murder and criminal attempt at robbery. They have been identified as Harry Richardson, 20, Anthoney Esquero, 18, and 17-year-old Kevin Gallardo. 

Police haven't identified the robbery victim or victims who opened fire on the suspects. 

"We haven't talked to the victim yet, but we need to, to figure out exactly what his role is," Sgt. Smith commented. 

Anyone who has any information about the case is asked to call the Gwinnett County Police Department at 770-513-5300 or Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477). They can also learn more at stopcrimeATL.com