In a shocking incident in St. Louis, a groom is fighting for his life after a masked gunman opened fire during his backyard wedding reception.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis man remains hospitalized in critical condition following a devastating attack during his intimate Friday night wedding celebration.

According to reports from KSDK-TV, the tranquil atmosphere of Dulce Gonzalez's backyard wedding was shattered when two masked assailants stormed the venue early Saturday. Guests were ordered to freeze while one gunman held Manuel Gonzalez, 32, at gunpoint and the other rifled through their belongings.

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, one of the attackers fired a shot at close range, striking the groom in the head, before fleeing the scene.

The bride's sister, Yaribeth Pea, expressed deep anguish over the incident, describing her sister as devastated and struggling to cope as her husband fights for his life.

"He's in a critical condition," Pea said. "We're praying for his recovery."

The couple, who have two children together, now face an uncertain future as police continue their investigation without any arrests made thus far.