Sumter police set up Spanish-speaking hotline after Bowman Drive shooting claims 2 Hispanic men

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Sumter police are hoping a Spanish-speaking hotline will lead to information about recent attempted and successful armed robberies, one of which led to the shooting deaths of two men outside a Bowman Drive home Thursday.

Victims in three recent robbery-type incidents have all been Hispanic, according to Tonyia McGirt, public information officer for the Sumter Police Department.

Police received a call that shots were fired just before 10:15 p.m. Thursday and responded to the 300 block of Bowman Drive. They found 25-year-old Diego Alonzo Teletor, of Loring Drive, shot to death outside a home. Gregorio Zarate Chun, 46, of Bowman Drive, was found shot and taken to Prisma Health Tuomey Hospital, where he later died.

Witnesses told police the two men and others were standing outside a residence when they were approached by three men wearing all black. The attempted armed robbers fired handguns before fleeing toward Dogwood Street, according to the police department.

City police officers had already responded to two separate armed robbery calls of a resident in the Hannah Street area, which McGirt said is not far away from Bowman Drive but not officially in the Crosswell community.

“Police think the three incidents are not random and could be the result of a group or group of individuals targeting Hispanic males,” McGirt wrote in a news release.

Teletor and Chun were both from Guatemala.

The police department is helping to coordinate with families to pay for the funerals through the S.C. Department of Crime Victim Compensation.

Those who want to offer information that can help solve the robberies and shootings can call (803) 305-7469 to talk with a Spanish-speaking Sumter Police Department officer.

Anyone with information can also call CrimeStoppers toll-free at 1-888-CRIME-SC. Non-English speakers will be switched to a call center for assistance.

Tips can also be submitted to CrimeStoppers by logging onto www.P3tips.com and clicking on the “Submit a New Tip” tab or by downloading the new P3 Tips app for smartphones. A Spanish language option is available.

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that can lead to an arrest.