José Rodríguez shot and killed radio 103.5 presenter Luis Manuel Medina and director and producer Leónidas Martínez on Feb. 14, 2017 in Santo Domingo. Rodríguez – who was involved in a protracted conflict with the State Sugar Council over three plots of land he had purchased – opened fire while Medina was in a recording booth filming a broadcast on Facebook Live. An administrative worker was also shot and wounded.
Rodríguez had previously come to the radio station, including when the director of the State Sugar Council was giving an interview. Rodríguez died of a gunshot wound to the head the next day following pursuit by police. Authorities indicated that it was self-inflicted, but witnesses reportedly claimed Rodríguez died in a shootout with police. A report on the incident indicated that Rodríguez’s decision to shoot the journalists was an “indecipherable enigma”, but speculated that Rodríguez likely opened fire when the journalists – who reportedly had no link to the land sale – were unable to assist him.