The family of a New York City lawyer who was fatally shot while traveling in Chile is seeking justice and hoping that the victim’s killers are apprehended quickly. According to PEOPLE, Eric E. Garvin’s father took to Facebook to share details about his son’s death, calling it “the darkest chapter of our lives because we are living every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Eric D. Garvin stated in the post that his son went missing on January 14 in the South American nation’s capital, Santiago. Garvin, who revealed that his son loved traveling abroad and had likely visited 40 countries, said Santiago Police informed him and his wife on January 21 that their son had been discovered in a hospital morgue.
According to ABC7 New York, Eric, 38, was shot and killed while taking a photograph in Santiago on January 14. Following his murder, Eric’s father and sister traveled to Chile to bring the victim “home,” as well as meet with U.S. Embassy officials and Santiago Detectives, according to Garvin’s Facebook post.
“What they told us is that my son was innocently walking down the street, paused for a moment, and took a photograph of a building in a drug-infested area,” Garvin explained to the news outlet. “Immediately after that, three gentlemen came across the street, grabbed my son, stole his phone, shot him three times, and he died on the spot.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Eric earned a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Maryland in 2010. From 2016 to 2021, he worked in former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office. He is said to have worked on community programs to reduce gun violence in places like Brownsville, Brooklyn, during that time.
“I want people to be more like him, I want people to make space for each other,” Eric’s sister, Naomi Garvin, said. “I want them to be curious about meeting each other and experiencing each other’s cultures.”
In a Twitter post, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams also paid tribute to Eric. “Described by friends as a bright young man and committed public servant, Eric Garvin will be deeply missed by the Staten Island community and the entire city,” according to the tweet. “In the aftermath of a devastating act of gun violence, we send peace, love, and light to his family.”
According to ABC7 New York, homicides in Santiago have increased by 40% in the last six years. Violence originating in Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia is now said to be spreading to the South American city.
Garvin also expressed gratitude in his Facebook post for the “abundance of love, prayers, and donations” they have received. “We are speechless at this incredible outpouring of love,” he said. “The first few days we couldn’t see any light in this tragic news, but today we are beginning to see a glimmer of light and hope. Your prayers and love are allowing us to see the light again.”