New information is emerging about 57-year-old Robert Morales, one of two people killed Thursday in a shooting on Florida State University’s campus.
Morales, who worked in FSU’s dining services department for the past nine years, had deep roots in South Florida, growing up in Hialeah and was the son of the late Ricardo “Monkey” Morales, a former CIA operative and anti-Castro militant.
He had gathered for a work meeting when gunfire erupted, ending his life and shaking the university community.
A Miami native with a complex legacy
Morales was raised in Hialeah and maintained strong ties to Miami.
According to The Miami Herald, he was the son of Ricardo “Monkey” Morales, a Cuban-American CIA operative who took part in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and remained involved in anti-Castro operations throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
His father died in 1982 during a bar fight in Key Biscayne at the age of 43, a loss that, according to Morales’ brother, left a lasting impact on Robert during his teenage years.
A family’s public grief
Robert’s brother, Ricardo Morales Jr., posted on X in the hours following the shooting, sharing his anguish as he tried unsuccessfully to reach his sibling.
“Today we lost my younger brother,” he later wrote. “He loved his job at FSU and his beautiful wife and daughter. I’m glad you were in my life.” The family had previously called Robert’s recovery from a 2021 kidney transplant a “miracle,” detailing his medical struggles on a GoFundMe page.
Gordos issues statement
Morales was one of the original founders of Gordos Cuban Cuisine, a popular Tallahassee restaurant.
On Friday afternoon, Gordos released the following statement:
“This is a horrible and senseless tragedy. Although it has been a long time since we worked together, my heart breaks for all of Robert Morales’ family and friends. The Seminole Nation is strong, and I am proud of how our community is coming together during this time of loss.”
A second victim and a community in mourning
Also killed in the shooting was Tiru Chabba, a regional vice president at Aramark Collegiate Hospitality.
In a statement, Aramark confirmed the loss, “We are heartbroken to confirm that an Aramark employee was among those killed at FSU yesterday in that senseless act of violence. We are absolutely shaken by the news and our deepest sympathies are with the family and our entire Aramark community.”
Ricardo Morales Jr. told CBS News Miami that he would not be offering further comment until Robert’s wife issued a statement.
