Denver Man's Parents Shot In El Paso Massacre

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DENVER (CBS4) - Two of the victims in El Paso, Texas have ties to Colorado. Juan and Nicolasa Velazquez have a stepson and granddaughter who live in Denver.

EL PASO, TEXAS - AUGUST 05: Volunteers pray over white handmade crosses memorializing the victims of a mass shooting which left at least 22 people dead on August 5, 2019 in El Paso, Texas. The crosses were made by retired carpenter Greg Zanis, who has made thousands of crosses for victims of mass shootings and disasters. A 21-year-old white male shooting suspect was taken into custody in the city which sits along the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Both Juan and Nicolasa were shot in the parking lot outside of the the Walmart. Nicolasa survived.

EL PASO, TEXAS - AUGUST 05: A woman kneels at a makeshift memorial outside Walmart, near the scene of a mass shooting which left at least 22 people dead, on August 5, 2019 in El Paso, Texas. A 21-year-old male suspect was taken into custody in El Paso which sits along the U.S.-Mexico border. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Relatives flew from Denver to be with their family. Juan, 77, was from Zacatecas, Mexico.

Juan and Nicolasa Velazquez (credit: CBS)

"We all just panicked," said Daisy Fuentes, Juan's granddaughter. "We were scared, we were crying. We didn't know what to do."

"They had already been shot when my grandma called my mom. And they were just crying, just telling us that it hurt like where they shot them at, it hurt," Daisy said.

Alvaro Mena (credit: CBS)

Her father, Alvaro Mena, traveled nearly 700 miles to be with his mom and stepdad. He learned they had just parked at the store when the gunman opened fire.

"That's their Walmart. That's the Walmart they go every time they go. When they pulled up, this lady was waving at them like 'hey, don't go in there,'" Alvaro said.

(credit: CBS)

Nicolasa was shot in the face and stomach. The bullet that hit her husband severely damaged his kidneys and vital organs.

Now, the family is among the many grieving, and questioning why their loved ones were taken from them.