Man killed after armed individuals forced their way into ambulance.

By THE STAR STAFF

A 62-year-old man was killed Wednesday morning inside an ambulance, after armed individuals forced their way into the emergency vehicle and shot him a second time, according to police.

The victim, Ramón Ramos Nicole, had been released from prison in January after serving a 25-year sentence for rape and robbery. He had recently returned to live at the Las Margaritas public housing complex in Santurce, where the attack occurred.

The initial shooting was reported at 8:51 a.m., when Ramos Nicole was struck by gunfire on the grounds of the housing complex. Municipal paramedics arrived and began treating him, placing him inside an ambulance to stabilize his condition.

However, while medical personnel were attending to him, armed assailants stormed into the ambulance and shot him again, killing him on the scene. Investigators said some residents in the community had viewed Ramos Nicole with suspicion following his release.

Authorities are examining multiple possible motives, including the possibility of revenge.

Agents from the Barrio Obrero Precinct, municipal police officers, and personnel from the Intelligence Division and the Criminal Investigations Corps responded to the scene. Preliminary accounts indicate that witnesses saw one or two individuals running from the ambulance immediately after the shots were fired.

The killing marks the 84th homicide reported so far this year -- five fewer than during the same period last year, according to reports.