What We Currently Know About Most Recent California Mass-Shooting

07.29.2019 | News | Daily Surge |

Surge Summary: A gunman at a California food festival wounded fifteen and killed three on Sunday. Details emerging.

Another hideous mass-killing from the Golden State …

It took less than a minute for police officers to respond after gunfire erupted at a Northern California food festival Sunday night, with cops quickly engaging and fatally shooting the gunman — but not before the assailant’s brief barrage left three dead and 15 others injured. [Edmund DeMarch/Lifezette]

— In a Sunday PM press gathering, Gilroy Chief of Police Scot Smithee reported the shooting rampage began at 5:41 p.m. on the north side of the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

— The gunman reportedly gained access to the festival by cutting through a fence.

— Some witnesses thought they spied a second suspect, though police could not immediately confirm that claim and said it was unclear if that person also had a weapon or may only have been providing support to the assailant.

— NBC Bay Area has reported: a 6-year-old boy, Steven Romero, was among the victims.

“He had his whole life to live,” Alberto Romero, the boy’s father, said. “He was only six.”

— Some witnesses said the gunman was in army fatigues. Another witness claims he was almost dressed like a police officer and that he raised up his gun up and started to “spray rounds,” walking through the crowd.

One observer, Ryan Wallace, remarked,

“He wanted to get stuff done. It was horrifying.”

— In what has become a tedious cliché — but is apparently accurate — many witnesses said the shots sounded like fireworks.

— One witness relayed to KTVU that he heard what he believed was 30 rounds.

— Officials have said the San Francisco Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was responding to the scene. Smithee added dozens of officers are there investigating.

— The singer for a band performing at the festival, Jack van Breen, said he saw a man wearing a green shirt and grayish handkerchief around his neck firing into the food area. He believes he saw a weapon that looked like an assault rifle.

Van Breen also volunteers he heard someone shout: “Why are you doing this?” He reports he heard the shooter answer, “Because I’m really angry.”

— CBSN AM reports the mother and grandmother of the deceased six-year-old casualty are among the wounded, as well as an unrelated twelve-year-old girl. These three are all expected to survive.

Stay tuned …

Image: Screen shot: CBSN AM; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0zSugF8vVA