Parents of flower delivery man shot, killed in Oakland arrive from Brazil and want justice
OAKLAND, Calif. - KTVU has learned new information about an Oakland homicide victim who was shot and killed while delivering flowers in Uptown Oakland. His family has identified him as Matheus Gaidos.
Gaidos' parents flew from Brazil to the Bay Area Friday once they learned about the shooting. They are devastated and shared their memories of their son, describing what happened to him as "cruel."
"Matheus is a good guy, serene guy, calm guy. Nobody deserves that," said the victim's friends Dario Pacheco and Guilherme Silva.
Surveillance video showed a man walking with two dogs confronting the 27-year-old while he was working; delivering flowers in front of an apartment building in Oakland's Koreatown Wednesday evening. There was a brief altercation and then the man shoots Gaidos.
His parents spoke with KTVU in Portuguese with the help of interpreters.
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"It's my only son. The pain, don't know how to explain the pain," said Isabel Martines, the victim's mother. "I don't know what to do. I'm destroyed inside."
She said her son was on his cell phone playing a video game with a friend in Brazil while he was trying to deliver flowers. The friend overheard Gaidos say "nice dog" and then there was a commotion.
"Matheus told him on the phone ‘I got shot,’" said Martines. "He was just doing his last delivery before going home. He wasn't doing anything wrong."
They said their son came to the United States five years ago, fearful of the street violence in Brazil. He's been in the Bay Area for three years working as a delivery driver.
"It's hard to forgive something that happened like that," said his father Antonio Gaidos through an interpreter. "We want justice, just don't want to see this happening with somebody else."
He said his son's dream was to be a husband and father and that he came to this country for a better life.
"Shock. Devastated," said Pacheco.
Gaidos' friends said they are also from Brazil, and they all came to the United States for the same reason.
"Brazil not safe. We come here," said Silva.
Both men said they work as delivery drivers here in the Bay Area.
"It could be us. Could be another friend. Now, we don't think we're safe outside," said Pacheco.
His mother said she comes to visit her son every year. Her next trip was planned for September. She said every time she came to the Bay Area, he waited for her with flowers.
Gaidos' parents said they always wanted their son to return to Brazil someday. But they never imagined it would be this way. They plan to transport his body back to his home country to be buried.
Police have not said if there are any arrests in this case.
A GoFundMe has been created for him.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU, or Twitter @AmberKTVU.