KOTTAYAM: A 68-year-old Kottayam native was shot dead after being carjacked at gunpoint by a bank robber at Valrico in the US state of Florida. Mathew Korattiyil of Peroor near Ettumanoor was attacked at the parking lounge of CenterState Bank, 1815 E Brandon Boulevard, around 10.30 am local time (10.30 pm IST) on Tuesday, as per the information received by his kin in Peroor.
“We first got information Mathew was missing.Later, the US Police reached Mathew’s Florida residence and broke the bad news,” said his relative Thomaskutty of ‘Mulakkal’, Kidangoor.
According to authorities, as the armed bank robbery suspect James Hanson Jr, 39, was trying to flee, he pointed a gun at Mathew, shoved him to the passenger’s side of the latter’s SUV and carjacked him. Hours later, Mathew was found dead outside Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Community Centre at Valrico.