Arnold Zabala y Evancea, 40, married, of Guiwan and owner of the popular Flavorite Restaurant, was shot dead by one of two gunmen outside the residence of his mother along Gov. Lim Avenue.

City Police Director Sr. Supt. Edwin Deocampo said Zabala sustained a bullet wound in the left cheek and died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Deocampo said that Zabala and his mother had just arrived at the house aboard a car after coming from Budgetwise Convenience Store when gunmen opened fire on him.

The police chief said the shooting happened after Zabala’s mother went inside her house while Arnold and their housemaid, a certain Neneng, were unloading grocery items from the car. Two men aboard a Skygo motorcycle appeared and the backrider approached Arnold and shot him hitting in the cheek.

The gunman boarded the motorcycle that sped away while Zabala was rushed to the Zamboanga City Medical Center where he expired while undergoing treatment.

Investigators recovered a spent shell of 9mm pistol at the crime scene.

On June last year, Zabala’s brother-in-law James Ramirez was shot dead by one of two motorcycle riding gunmen near the regional office of the Department of Social Worker and Development.

Deocampo and his investigators suspect the killing of Zabala was related to the death of Ramirez as they had been receiving threats from an unidentified man who had told them that they will be killed one by one.

The police however are encountering difficulty in the investigation as the family of the two victims refuse to cooperate with them especially in giving information on the identity of the person who threatened Ramirez and Zabala.

Arnold left behind a wife and three young children.

Meanwhile, three people were wounded in a shootout between two groups of armed men inside a downtown hotel.

Among those wounded only one was identified — Sakam Isnani.

Two men were also arrested by the police in connection with the shooting inside the hotel, which police said, happened inside Room 415. One of them was identified as Al Isnani.

But it was not known how the gunmen were able to sneak into the hotel without being detected by security guards. Police investigators said they recovered many empty bullet shells in the room.

One of those arrested by the police said they were attacked by two gunmen. It was not immediately known why police arrested him or the motive of the shootings. Investigations are going on, police said.

“We were attacked. I don’t know why police arrested me,” he told reporters.

Recovered by the police in the hotel room were a .45 cal. pistol and an M16 rifle.

The shooting incidents in Zamboanga City have alarmed many residents so far at least 54 people had been killed in gun attacks since early this year despite a strict implementation of the gun ban. Most of the cases remain unresolved.