Man Dies Protecting People During Mall Shooting, According To Family

On a weekend off Jon Murphy and his wife Aimee visited a jewelry store inside a San Antonio mall to have their wedding rings cleaned, family friend Chris Cerone told People.

"Jon and Aimee loved each other. They were so happy," says Cercone, a San Francisco-based lawyer who is dating Murphy's stepdaughter. "Jon was an upstanding guy that would do anything to protect his family."

Unfortunately, that weekend Murphy lost his life protecting his family.

Two men walked into the Kay Jewelers to allegedly rob the store, officials say. As the robbers were leaving, "they encountered two citizens that tried to intervene," said Police Chief William McManus.

When police officers arrived, Murphy, 42 had been shot to death and was lying alongside one of the suspects, who was shot by an unidentified citizen who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. The unidentified suspect was taken to the hospital and listed in critical condition.

The other suspect was caught hours later after he allegedly crashed a stolen vehicle. Jason Prieto, 34, was arrested and charged with one count of capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery. His bond was set for $1.7 million.

On Monday, Murphy's wife Aimeee took to Facebook to share some feelings on the incident. Aimee wrote:

"Jon was tragically taken away from me/us yesterday in a senseless robbery attempt," she wrote. "I know deep down he was trying to protect first off…Me, but also the other innocent bystanders in the mall as well as the several children and families that were in the play area 10 feet away from where the robbery occurred. That was just the kind of man he was."

Murphy grew up in a military family, Cercone said. He loved the Marine Corps. "He just had a ton of respect for the Marines," Cercone said.

He loved them so much his daughter gave him an antique Marine pin for Christmas, said Cercone. He added that Murphy also loved his Harley Davidson motorcycle and his family.

The family has set up a gofundme page to help with bills and funeral costs. The response has been overwhelming. Cercone received a message from a woman whose husband and daughter witnessed the tragic shooting.

"My daughter and her dad were at the mall yesterday right by the jewelry store. They started running when they heard the first gunshots. My daughter saw Jon fall," the woman wrote. "I truly feel like he kept my daughter safe. He risked his life to protect someone he had never met."

[H/T PEOPLE]