Shot in Orange, California: the gates were locked, a boy dying in the arms of a woman inside. That’s what the police learned about the mass shooting

The murders marked at least the twentieth mass shootout since the attacks in the Atlanta area spas two weeks ago. Although investigations are still ongoing, the police have begun to find out what happened behind the locked gates of the courtyard, where the doors to the suites are located, as well as what led to the terrible violence.

Five calls to 911 arrived around 5:34 pm, said Amat, and the officers were at the compound about 30 miles south of Los Angeles about two minutes later.

When they arrived, they heard shots being fired inside, but were unable to enter immediately. Inside, the building’s courtyard gates were locked “with a bicycle cable lock,” said Amat.

It is unclear whether the goal was to keep the victims inside or the police outside, police said.

What the police found when they entered

After getting involved with the suspect and shooting, the police used pliers to enter the courtyard and found the suspect, who was injured, and took him into custody. Police had previously said it was not clear whether the wound was self-inflicted.

In the courtyard, the police also found the boy and the adult woman who survived. She was taken to a local hospital, where she is in a critical but stable condition, Amat said.

In addition to the boy, the dead were two women and a man, Amat said.

One of the women was found upstairs on an outdoor landing. The man was found inside a commercial building, and the other woman was found in a separate commercial building, according to Amat.

The suites where some victims were found belonged to a company identified as Unified Homes, said Amat, a real estate company specializing in mobile homes.

Investigators recovered a semi-automatic weapon and a backpack containing pepper spray, handcuffs and ammunition, which authorities believe belonged to the suspect.

The victims

The Orange Police Department on Friday identified the four victims as Matthew Farias, 9; Jenevieve Raygoza, 28; Letícia Solis Guzman, 58; and Luis Tovar, 50.

The suspect

Police identified the suspect as Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez, 44, of Fullerton, California. He is in a critical but stable local hospital, Amat said.

Authorities said he would be prosecuted on Friday afternoon and face four counts of murder, one attempted murder and two attempted murder of a police officer.

But the hearing was postponed to Monday. Public defender Ken Morrison told CNN that Gonzalez is not in a position to make a smart decision about his case and is not aware at the moment.

“Prosecutors also allege the special circumstance of multiple murders,” according to the prosecutor.

Gonzalez, who allegedly lived in a motel room in Anaheim, arrived at the complex in a rental car and parked in a nearby parking lot, said Amat.

A preliminary investigation by police concluded that the suspect used a legally purchased gun, she added.

The investigation

Authorities remained at the scene on Thursday to complete the investigation.

Spitzer said the investigators were there for two reasons: to investigate the mass shooting, as well as the aspect of the police murder case, to ensure objectivity and transparency.

Spitzer emphasized that the suspect is eligible for the death penalty under California law because there were several victims.

Prosecutors are also investigating whether the fact that the gates are locked constitutes “a wait,” said Spitzer, a special circumstance that would also make the suspect eligible for the death penalty.

During his tenure, Spitzer said he reviewed almost 20 murder cases to decide whether to pursue the death penalty, but he never opened a death case.

“Asking a jury to give a death verdict is the most serious consequence we ask for, and it is the only consequence in which a jury makes the decision in opposition to a judge,” he said.