A man accused of opening fire outside a Columbus restaurant was convicted of all charges in federal court.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, Abel Velasquez-Avedeco was convicted of illegally possessing a handgun and drug possession with the purpose of distributing cocaine and methamphetamines.
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The incident occurred outside the Taco Nice restaurant on West Broad Street in Lincoln Village when Velasquez-Avedeco was reportedly arguing with another individual inside. According to court filings, he then began discharging a gun many times into the air from a car while driving near the restaurant.
A security guard inside the restaurant told a sheriff’s officer from Franklin County that the suspect, known as “Gordo,” drove away in a tan Honda Civic while discharging a weapon, leaving many shot shells in the area.
Velasquez-Avedeco was detained at the El Toro restaurant on Phillipi Road, approximately 1.5 miles east of Taco Nice. A Franklin Township police officer found a Ruger LCP. 380 caliber gun that had fallen out of the suspect’s jacket, as well as two small baggies containing suspected cocaine.
Additional evidence, including around 30-40 baggies of suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia, was located in the suspect’s car, as well as his jacket and cross-body bag, which were found behind the El Toro host’s stand inside the restaurant.
According to immigration documents, Velasquez-Acevedo is a Mexican citizen who has no legal status in the United States. He was held by border patrol in Webb County, Texas, in 2016 but was found to be inadmissible and allowed to return voluntarily.
According to court documents, he did not apply for or get permission to become a citizen and consequently faced federal charges.
Velasquez-Avedeco, who had already been convicted of assault and two counts of operating a car while inebriated, pleaded guilty in August 2025. This Wednesday, he was sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
