EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Ride-share drivers in Juarez blocked the street in front of a government building Tuesday morning to protest the murder of one of their own.
The drivers are demanding better police protection after word spread that Rafael Diaz was gunned down early Tuesday, apparently by a robber posing as a customer. Diaz, known on social media as “Rafa Wayne,” live-streamed the robbery before the assailant took away his cellphone and demanded the password.
Less than a month ago, another Juarez ride-share driver was shot dead in a dark street after he dropped off a fare. Ismael Villagomez Tapia was a full-time news photographer for El Heraldo de Juarez newspaper who moonlighted as a driver-for-hire to make ends meet.
Diaz was a regular on social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook Live. Posters filled one of his social media pages with comments of outrage and sadness over the violence plaguing their city.
“You, the relatives, do not hide the assailants. If you know it was your son, your nephew, turn them over to the authorities,” said one poster on Facebook.
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” said another poster.
Diaz and other drivers were planning a December 20 charity drive to collect and deliver toys for needy children, according to his social media.
El Diario reported that the drivers were planning a more massive protest in front of the Chihuahua Attorney General’s Office at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Juarez.
Border Report reached out to state authorities, who confirmed the protest was taking place outside their building. They said no additional information regarding Diaz’s shooting death is available at this time.
(ProVideo contributed to this report.)
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