CARY, NC – An eight year old girl is in critical condition today after her father shot her and then killed himself in a car outside a local hospital early this morning.

At 12:28 AM, Cary Police responded to a call by a passing motorist who reported seeing muzzle fire coming from inside a 1993 blue Dodge Intrepid parked, but still running about 200’ from the Emergency Room entrance of Western Wake Medical Center. At the scene police found Jose Guadalope Villegas, 33, slumped over in the driver’s seat, dead from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Seatbelted in the passenger’s seat was his daughter, also shot but conscious. After stabilizing the child at Western Wake, doctors had her transported to the trauma center at Wake Med Hospital in Raleigh where she underwent surgery this morning and remains in critical condition.

Police recovered a .380 semiautomatic handgun from the deceased in the car.

Villegas and his common law wife of eight years had been separated for the past several months. Villegas had moved out of their home at 2808 Piney Plains Road in Cary and relocated to his brother’s home in Holly Springs. Family members report that he was very unhappy with the split and had, on at least one occasion when drinking, threatened to harm the child and himself.

The 8 year-old victim of this morning's shooting is now listed in Stable, but Critical condition.  There is a need to support this child's medical bills and anyone interested may send donations to the following address:

WakeMed Foundation
ATTN: 8 Year-old Cary Shooting Victim
3000 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27610

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