Restaurant owner shot and killed in Garden City

Police in southwest Kansas say the owner of a restaurant was shot and killed in what is believed to be a robbery.

Garden City police responded just before 11 p.m. Thursday to the report of a person down at El Conquistador Restaurant at 1601 Bluff Jones Avenue.

Capt. Randy Ralston said officers arrived to find the owner, 69-year-old Ernest Ortiz, lying on the east parking lot entrance. He’d suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He later died at a local hospital.

 

“The preliminary investigation has revealed that this could be a possible robbery,” Capt. Ralston said in a news release. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Mr. Ortiz during this grieving time.

No arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call the Garden City Police Department at (620) 276-1300. If you’d like to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (620) 275-7807 or text GCTIP and your tip to Tip411 (847411).