Man charged with killing four people in California shooting, charged with murder; identified victims

The man accused of killing four people, including a 9-year-old boy, while allegedly opening fire on a shopping complex in Orange, Calif., Was charged on Friday with four counts of murder.

Filming took place Wednesday evening at the offices of Unified Homes, which sells mobile homes.

A woman was found dead on an outside landing upstairs, police said. A man was found in an office building and another woman was found in a separate office building. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer told a press conference Thursday that the child was being protected by one of the women when he was killed.

A fifth person, a woman, was shot dead and taken to hospital in critical condition.

The Orange County Police Department has identified three of those killed: Jenevieve Raygoza, 28; Luis Tovar, 50 years old; and Matthew Farias, 9 years old.

The suspect, Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez, 44, was shot and wounded after allegedly opening fire on two Orange police officers. He was hospitalized in critical condition, police said.

In addition to the murder, Gonzalez was charged with one count of attempted murder, two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, a felony of enhancing premeditation and numerous charges. guns.

“Our hearts are broken into a million pieces as the community mourns the loss of four innocent lives, including a young boy, in the horrific events that unfolded Wednesday night and we pray for the recovery of the lone survivor,” Spitzer said in a report.

Police arrived at the shopping complex around 5:30 p.m. Spitzer said Thursday officers were slow to reach the suspect because the wrought-iron gates to the back and front of the complex were locked and secured.

He said police “had to engage the suspect from outside the premises until bolt cutters could be brought to the scene.”

“In the meantime, an appalling rampage was taking place in the offices,” said the public prosecutor.

Authorities said the suspect knew all of the adult victims. The child is believed to be the son of a victim who worked in the company.

Preliminary information suggests the motive is linked to a “professional and personal relationship” with the victims and the suspect, according to Police Lieutenant Jennifer Amat.

A semi-automatic handgun and a backpack containing pepper spray, handcuffs and ammunition were found at the scene, Amat said. The items are believed to belong to the suspect.

Gonzalez is expected to be arraigned Friday afternoon, according to the prosecutor’s office. Spitzer said Thursday the suspect was eligible for the death penalty, calling the incident a special circumstance with multiple victims.