A 19-year-old TikTok star who was shot execution-style inside a Corona movie theater has died after being taken off life support, law enforcement officials said Saturday.
Anthony Barajas and Rylee Goodrich, 18, both of Corona, were shot in the head Monday during a showing of “The Forever Purge,” a horror film that features a night of lawlessness and killing, Riverside County district attorney’s officials said in a statement. Goodrich died at the theater.
Barajas was taken to a hospital, where he was put on life support.
“I want to thank everyone who lifted Anthony in prayer. The injuries to his brain were irreparable,” Malik Earnest, a friend of Barajas’, tweeted Saturday. “July 30th at 11 p.m., Anthony was wheeled down an ‘honor walk’ where he would ultimately donate his organs so others may live. Please continue to pray for his family and friends.”
LAPD officers opened fire 27 times last year, killing seven people. So far this year, officers have opened fire 16 times, killing six people.
Joseph Jimenez, 20, of Corona, was arrested late Tuesday by Corona police on suspicion of murder and robbery. Investigators said they found a firearm that matched the caliber of the weapon used in the shooting and “additional evidence related to the crime scene,” police said.
Police said they have not identified a motive in the shooting, which they described as an apparently “unprovoked attack.”
Friday, Riverside County district attorney’s office charged Jimenez with one count of murder with a sentencing enhancement of personal use of a firearm causing death, one count of attempted murder with a sentencing enhancement of personally inflicting great bodily injury and a sentencing enhancement of personal use of a firearm causing great bodily injury. The office also filed a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait.
Employees at that Regal Edwards Corona Crossings theater called police after discovering Goodrich and Barajas at 11:45 p.m. on Monday.
Police said there doesn’t appear to be a connection between the victims and the suspect.
Jimenez was booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, where he is being held without the possibility of bail.
Barajas was popular on TikTok, with more than 960,000 followers.
“Anthony was the light of so many peoples lives and there are tough times ahead, but we have amazing family and friends to get through this,” a family member wrote on his GoFundMe page.
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