Totally bizarre story out of Longview, TX.
Ricky Vega was participating in a “Hands on a Hardbody” contest at a car dealership. If you’re not familiar with radio station contests, that’s where a group of contestants tries to keep their hands touching a car (usually standing and without food and water) for the longest amount of time. Whoever moves their hand away last usually wins the car.
Ricky wasn’t the last to move his hand away, so he lost the contest. And that’s when things got weird:
Cox News Service reported Vega walked away from the truck after remaining in place for three days and smashed a window at a K-Mart across the street. Police officers who arrived just before 6 a.m. found Vega walking from the back of the store with a gun in his hands which he used to shoot himself.
Dru Laborde, program director for KYKX radio, said he talked to Vega just before he dropped out.
‘He was fine,’ Laborde said.
He broke into a K-Mart, stole a gun, and shot himself with it. Did anyone watch him do it? Did anyone around notice that a K-Mart was being broken into? And how were the guns and ammo displayed in the store that he found both and was able to use them before the police arrived?
The article is short on answers, and the notice posted on the car dealership’s website is even shorter. The radio station’s website doesn’t mention the incident at all.
Strangely enough, they’ve left up their list of contestants. Ricky is Contestant #4, and his bio shows some sad information, including that he’s left behind a wife and two kids.
Name: Richard Vega
Contestant Number: 4
Age: 24
Employer: Fed Ex, Ranger Metals
Occupation: Package handler/labor
Family:
Wife-Chalala, 2 children-Riche and Mariha
Why did you enter?:
To win!
How long do you think you will last?:
To the end
How will you prepare?:
Work a lot
How many times did you enter?:
60
“To the end.” Creepy.
Update: The ATF is saying he broke off a safety lock and loaded it before police showed up.
