Mass Shooting in Orange Leaves Four Dead, Including a Child

By Jesse La Tour on April 1, 2021 • ( 1 Comment )

This article was last updated on April 3.

A mass shooting in the city of Orange on Tuesday, March 31 left four people dead, including a 9-year-old boy.

The suspect has been identified as 44-year-old Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez, with a last known address in Fullerton. Police say he had been living out of a motel room in Anaheim. Gonzalez faces four counts of murder, and three attempted murder charges.

The victims have been identified by family members as 9-year-old Matthew Farias, who was fatally shot and died in the arms of his mother, Blanca Ismeralda Tamayo, who was critically injured.

The others killed, according to family members, were Luis Tovar, owner of the Unified Homes mobile home business where the shooting occurred, Tovar’s daughter Jenevieve Raygoza, and Leticia Solis.

Photo courtesy of Orange Police Department.

At approximately 5:30pm, the Orange Police Department received multiple calls reporting gunshots being fired in the area of 200 W. Lincoln in Orange.

Upon arrival, officers were initially unable to enter the office building because the gates had been locked from the inside. It appears the suspect used bicycle cable locks to secure the gates.

An officer shot Gonzalez from outside the gates. Police were eventually able to force entry through the gates. Upon entry, officers located Gonzalez, who was injured, and took him into custody.

Officers located five victims in the offices of a an office building that included Unified Homes—two adult females, one adult male, and the child were all killed by the shooter.

Security camera footage of the suspect. Courtesy of Orange Police Department.

Speaking at a press conference on April 1, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, “It appears that a little boy died in his mother’s arms as she was trying to save him during this horrific massacre.”

Police and fire outside the office building in Orange on March 31. Image from OC Hawk.

She, along with the suspect were transferred to a local hospital where they both remain in critical but stable condition.

The preliminary motive is believed to be a business and personal relationship that existed between the suspect and all of the victims, according to Lt. Jennifer Amat of the Orange Police Department. She said it appears that “this was not a random act of violence.” The Los Angeles Times reports that Gonzalez’ wife worked for Unified Homes.

Investigators recovered several items at the scene including a semi-automatic handgun and a backpack containing pepper spray, handcuffs, and ammunition, which police believe belonged to the suspect.

The case is being investigated by the Orange Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. Spitzer’s office is investigating both the officer-involved shooting of Gonzalez and the mass shooting itself.