GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — An investigation is underway after a maintenance worker was fatally shot while checking on waterlines at an apartment complex in Grand Prairie on Saturday evening, police said.
Officers responded to a shooting call around 6 p.m. at the Clayton Pointe Apartments along the 2900 block of Alouette Drive near Arkansas Lane and Highway 360.
Upon arrival at the scene, police said they found an apartment complex maintenance worker identified as 53-year-old Cesar Montelongo injured with a gunshot wound on a resident's balcony. Montelongo was then transported to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, per a release issued by police.
Police said their investigation revealed that Montelongo was checking on multiple balconies for frozen or busted waterlines after pipes had burst throughout the apartment complex due to the recent arctic blast that has plagued the region.
According to police, a resident spotted Montelongo on his balcony, believed his apartment was being burglarized and shot Montelongo through a window.
Police said the resident stayed at the scene and cooperated with detectives. He was not arrested.
Further details are not yet being released as the investigation continues. The case will be referred to the Tarrant County grand jury for review, police said.
Cesar Montelongo Jr. told WFAA that his father and mother, Candelaria, had planned on celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary on Christmas Day.
"And it's sad that morning, the morning of the 24th, they went and had a breakfast date together because they knew everything was going to be closed on Christmas and then he didn't make it to the anniversary," Montelongo Jr. said.
Montelongo Sr. was a husband and father to five sons.
Montelongo Jr. said his father was the lead maintenance worker at the apartment complex for 16 years.
"We don't know who the suspect is. We don't know what state they were in. We just know that that happened," the victim's son said.
"My dad was a huge man of faith. My mother is a huge woman of faith. And so we're just believing and trying to get through it," he added.
WFAA has reached out to both the leasing office of Clayton Pointe and the management company, listed as the Valcap Group, but has not heard back.
The victim's family set up an online fundraising campaign to help with funeral expenses.