Father fatally shot carrying daughter’s birthday cake into Chuck E. Cheese

HUMBLE, Texas (KPRC) - The wife of a Texas father says he was gunned down in the parking lot of a Chuck E. Cheese while celebrating his daughter’s sixth birthday.

Calogero Duenes, 24, and his family had just arrived to celebrate his daughter’s sixth birthday Friday at a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant in Humble, Texas, according to Duenes’ wife, Amber Uresti.

Reports indicate Duenes was walking outside of the business when he got into an argument with another man. Nearby officers say they heard gunshots, and when they arrived on scene, they found Duenes suffering from multiple bullet wounds. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Uresti says her husband was shot while holding his daughter’s birthday cake.

“It’s a tragedy. I really can’t wrap my head around it. Like, I’m hurt. I can’t understand how someone can do that to someone that’s holding a cake,” Uresti said. “We just went to go celebrate my daughter’s sixth birthday. I mean, that’s all he was tasked with. That’s all he had on him was a cake.”

Uresti says she and Duenes had been together since they were teenagers. He leaves behind not only his 6-year-old daughter but also a 3-year-old daughter.

“My husband passed without me, without anybody to hold his hand, to comfort him. I want justice. I want justice for my children, for Calogero,” Uresti said.

Police say the suspected shooter fled the scene before they arrived. He was reportedly driving a burgundy Ford. The investigation is ongoing.

Duenes will be taken back to his hometown of Corpus Christi to be buried. His funeral will be held Monday.

A GoFundMe set up to help his family with expenses has raised more than $36,000.

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