By Kim Minugh and Sam Stanton
kminugh@sacbee.com
The couple shot during a fight in an Old Sacramento bar on New Year's Eve has been identified by family and friends as Gabriel and Christina Cordova.
Gabriel Cordova, 35, was fatally wounded in the melee, in which another man was killed and a security guard wounded. His wife, 30-year-old Christina, was treated for a gunshot wound to the lower body that was not life-threatening.
The Sacramento County Coroner's Office has identified the Sports Corner Cafe employee fatally shot when he tried to intervene as 36-year-old Daniel Ferrier of Placerville.
A security guard who exchanged gunfire with the suspect was injured but survived, and has not been identified.
Sacramento police have identified the shooter as 22-year-old Carlito Montoya, who also suffered gunshot wounds during the volley of gunfire and is in custody at a local hospital. He is expected to face charges of murder and attempted murder, said police spokeswoman Officer Michele Gigante.
Gabriel Cordova's sister, Monica Cordova, said her older brother hadn't planned on staying at the Sports Corner Cafe for long. He had planned to return to the couple's home for a party, but he got into an argument that "just got out of hand."
"He is really sweet. Our family is having a really hard time with this," Monica Cordova said in a brief interview. "He wasn't planning on staying there. He was just going to have a drink."
Gabriel Cordova had three children, according to friends and family.
The shooting occurred about 40 minutes after the popular New Year's Eve fireworks show. The midnight show was cancelled.
Photo Caption: People walk past a memorial at Sports Corner Cafe in Old Sac on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013 where five people where shot on New Year's Eve. Photo by Hector Amezcua / hamezcua@sacbee.com
Call The Bee's Kim Minugh, (916) 321-1038. Follow her on Twitter @Kim_Minugh.
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