A shooting in Orange, California, on Wednesday left four dead, including a child, at an office building. A fifth victim has been hospitalized with a gunshot wound and is in critical condition.
According to authorities, the suspect is also hospitalized with a gunshot wound and is in critical condition, though it’s not clear whether that injury was self-inflicted.
"Today at 5:30pm, the Orange Police Department responded to a call of shots fired at 202 W. Lincoln Ave. Officers arrived as shots were being fired and located multiple victims at the scene including fatalities," the Orange Police Department said on Facebook. "An officer involved shooting occurred. The situation has been stabilized and there is no threat to the public. More details to follow."
Emma Soto, 26, who lives in an apartment near the building, was doing laundry when she said she heard seven to 10 gunshots.
“It just sounded like a popping sound,” she said. “It didn’t really sound like how you would imagine it, like in the movies. We’re hearing of all these shootings going on, so I just thought, ‘Another shooting.’ But we never imagined it would be that close to us.” [...]
Hector Gomez and Edgar Gonzalez work at a roofing business located on the first floor of the building where the shooting occurred. The two men, along with residents who were at the scene on Wednesday night, said they believed the shooting had unfolded at a real estate office on the second floor. The windows of the office appeared to have been shot out.
Mr. Gomez said the woman who ran the office sold mobile homes and would often bring her son with her to the building.
“He’s a cute little boy,” Mr. Gomez said.
The two men said they were convinced the woman and her son were among the victims. The woman’s S.U.V. was still in the parking lot as the police conducted their investigation late into the evening. (NYT)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the shooting “horrifying and heartbreaking.”
Horrifying and heartbreaking. Our hearts are with the families impacted by this terrible tragedy tonight. https://t.co/nw3On2RJH2
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 1, 2021
The shooting was the fourth mass-casualty incident in March. Others occurred in Georgia, Colorado, and Maryland.
Update:
The suspect accused of killing four people and injuring a fifth at an office complex in Orange, Calif., knew all of the victims both personally and through business, investigators said Thursday, identifying him as 44-year-old Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez.
The gunman had chained the gates to the office building, which forced officers responding to the scene Wednesday afternoon to engage with him from the outside, Orange Police Lt. Jennifer Amat said. Among the victims: a 9-year-old boy who apparently "died in his mother's arms as she was trying to save him," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. (Fox News)
This is a breaking news post and will be updated with additional information.