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| Gilroy Festival Shooting: What We Know and Don’t | Gilroy Festival Shooting: What We Know and Don’t |
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| Late on Sunday afternoon, a mass shooting shook another California community, where residents said such violence was previously unthinkable. Here’s what we know and don’t know about the shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, which is located about 30 miles southeast of San Jose. We’ll continue to update this with new developments. | Late on Sunday afternoon, a mass shooting shook another California community, where residents said such violence was previously unthinkable. Here’s what we know and don’t know about the shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, which is located about 30 miles southeast of San Jose. We’ll continue to update this with new developments. |
| • As the 41st annual Gilroy Garlic Festival wound down, gunshots rang out, sending festival goers fleeing. The police said at least three people were killed and 12 people were wounded. A suspect — who was not identified — was also killed, the authorities said. | • As the 41st annual Gilroy Garlic Festival wound down, gunshots rang out, sending festival goers fleeing. The police said at least three people were killed and 12 people were wounded. A suspect — who was not identified — was also killed, the authorities said. |
| • Among the dead was a 6-year-old boy, Stephen Romero. The boy’s mother was shot in the stomach and his grandmother in a leg, his father said. | • Among the dead was a 6-year-old boy, Stephen Romero. The boy’s mother was shot in the stomach and his grandmother in a leg, his father said. |
| [Read about the 6-year-old boy who was shot in the back.] | [Read about the 6-year-old boy who was shot in the back.] |
| • The gunman was carrying an assault-type rifle when he was shot and killed by the police. He appeared to have cut through a fence to enter the festival, the Gilroy Police Department said. | • The gunman was carrying an assault-type rifle when he was shot and killed by the police. He appeared to have cut through a fence to enter the festival, the Gilroy Police Department said. |
| • An investigation continued through Sunday night, after the authorities said witnesses reported seeing a second gunman. | • An investigation continued through Sunday night, after the authorities said witnesses reported seeing a second gunman. |
| • Witnesses described a chaotic scene. Video shows people scattering and trying to hide. One festival attendee, Olivia Chiu, said gunshots seemed to come from a central area near food and merchandise vendors. “Everyone was in a state of panic and trying to escape out of the festival to a safer area,” she said. | • Witnesses described a chaotic scene. Video shows people scattering and trying to hide. One festival attendee, Olivia Chiu, said gunshots seemed to come from a central area near food and merchandise vendors. “Everyone was in a state of panic and trying to escape out of the festival to a safer area,” she said. |
| • The president tweeted about the shooting, and other California officials weighed in. | • The president tweeted about the shooting, and other California officials weighed in. |
| Senator Kamala Harris on Twitter described the shooting as “horrific,” adding that, “Our country has a gun violence epidemic that we cannot tolerate.” | Senator Kamala Harris on Twitter described the shooting as “horrific,” adding that, “Our country has a gun violence epidemic that we cannot tolerate.” |
| • The gunman’s identity has not been released. It also was not clear whether a second person was involved, as witnesses indicated to the authorities on Sunday night. | • The gunman’s identity has not been released. It also was not clear whether a second person was involved, as witnesses indicated to the authorities on Sunday night. |
| • Any possible motivation for the attack. | • Any possible motivation for the attack. |
| The Gilroy Garlic Festival was founded in 1979 by Rudolph J. Melone, who had moved to Gilroy several years earlier as president of Gavilan Community College. He started the event after reading about a similar celebration in France, according to The Times’s obituary for Mr. Melone. | The Gilroy Garlic Festival was founded in 1979 by Rudolph J. Melone, who had moved to Gilroy several years earlier as president of Gavilan Community College. He started the event after reading about a similar celebration in France, according to The Times’s obituary for Mr. Melone. |
| In the decades since, the festival has become an internationally known destination, drawing roughly 100,000 visitors each year. But it has not lost its importance for locals. | In the decades since, the festival has become an internationally known destination, drawing roughly 100,000 visitors each year. But it has not lost its importance for locals. |
| “It’s like a second high school reunion for a lot of people,” said Emilia Chavez, a 34-year-old who grew up in Gilroy, a small city in the midst of verdant farmland south of San Jose. “It’s hard to go and not see someone you recognize.” | “It’s like a second high school reunion for a lot of people,” said Emilia Chavez, a 34-year-old who grew up in Gilroy, a small city in the midst of verdant farmland south of San Jose. “It’s hard to go and not see someone you recognize.” |
| She and her husband left this year’s event just a few hours before shots were fired, she said Sunday evening. | She and her husband left this year’s event just a few hours before shots were fired, she said Sunday evening. |
| The festival is also a crucial fund-raising opportunity for local charities, and a staple of local students’ community service résumés. | The festival is also a crucial fund-raising opportunity for local charities, and a staple of local students’ community service résumés. |
| While in middle school, Ms. Chavez said she sold lemonade to raise money for a scholarship federation. In high school, she sold Pepsi for the choir. | While in middle school, Ms. Chavez said she sold lemonade to raise money for a scholarship federation. In high school, she sold Pepsi for the choir. |
| Ms. Chavez said she never questioned the safety of the community’s biggest event. | Ms. Chavez said she never questioned the safety of the community’s biggest event. |
| “The biggest problem had been just people sneaking in,” she said. | “The biggest problem had been just people sneaking in,” she said. |
| The shooting in Gilroy took place days after four people were killed and two people were injured in a rampage through the San Fernando Valley that the authorities say started when a man first shot his parents and brother, then shot an acquaintance a few miles away before opening fire on a bus, The Los Angeles Times reported. | The shooting in Gilroy took place days after four people were killed and two people were injured in a rampage through the San Fernando Valley that the authorities say started when a man first shot his parents and brother, then shot an acquaintance a few miles away before opening fire on a bus, The Los Angeles Times reported. |
| In April, a shooting at a synagogue in Poway prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to push for new funding for security for religious organizations. | In April, a shooting at a synagogue in Poway prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to push for new funding for security for religious organizations. |
| At the time, Mark Baldassare, president and survey director for the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, said that high-profile shootings have a kind of cumulative effect on public opinion. | At the time, Mark Baldassare, president and survey director for the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, said that high-profile shootings have a kind of cumulative effect on public opinion. |
| Even in California, which already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, there’s strong support for more controls. | Even in California, which already has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, there’s strong support for more controls. |
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| Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan. | Jill Cowan grew up in Orange County, went to school at U.C. Berkeley and has reported all over the state, including the Bay Area, Bakersfield and Los Angeles — but she always wants to see more. Follow along here or on Twitter, @jillcowan. |