Friend of man shot, killed at Gainesville lumberyard says victim was 'best person in the world'

Friend of man fatally shot in Gainesville lumber yard, speaks to FOX 35

Eduardo Rodriguez, 23, was shot and killed at a Gainesville lumber yard by a man he did not know, authorities said. Friends described Rodriguez as having a bright future, with plans to marry, start a family, and open his own business.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Gainesville police say Eduardo Rodriguez was shot and killed in the Imeca Lumber and Hardware building by Justin Long.

Those who knew Eduardo Rodriguez best say the 23-year-old had a bright future ahead of him. He was going to get married this year, he had plans to open his own company, and wanted to start a family. 

After he was shot and killed, his loved ones say his family and friends are left with nothing but questions, memories, and grief.

‘Best person in the world'

What they're saying:

Fernando says he and Eduardo Rodriguez have been friends since high school. The pair talked on the phone for hours every day.

"I tell my wife, hey... it's weird that Eduardo hasn't called me today. Then it's like two and a half, three in the afternoon, and I text his wife, Jessica, and I tell her, 'Hey, look, what's going on with Eduardo?'" Fernando said.

That's when Frenando learned the reason his best friend wasn’t picking up the phone for their daily call.

"Automatically, I went to Gainesville, and it was too late. I couldn't even see him. I arrived at night. I couldn't even go to the hospital or anywhere," Fernando explained.

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Fernando says at the time of the shooting, Rodriguez was likely working at Imeca and looking for materials in the lumberyard.

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"The clients from Imeca treated him super well," Fernando noted.

Fernando says regardless of the circumstances behind why Rodriguez was shot and killed, he did not deserve what happened to him.

"He didn't deserve a crazy person walking around with a gun or anything. He didn't have a gun, he didn't smoke or drink, he was the best person in the world," Rodriguez exclaimed.

What police are saying

Chief of police Nelson Moya says Rodriguez was randomly selected by the suspect, and that the department believes Long had "clear intent," saying based on evidence and interviews with people Long was associated with, Chief Moya believes Rodriguez was selected randomly, and that Long suffered a mental health crisis that led to the shooting.

Though FOX 35 has reached out to Imeca to confirm Rodriguez's employment, we have yet to hear back. Gainesville police are still investigating this case.