Keyla Salazar was identified as one of the three victims killed at the Gilroy Garlic Festival Sunday.
Salazar was only 13 years old. She was from San Jose.
A GoFundMe was set up to raise funds for Salazar’s family.
“South County CDJR would appreciate your support as another young child’s life has been taken away at 13 years Kayla Salazar, by senseless act of violence at our local yearly city event Gilroy Garlic Festival,” the page said. “Many of our staff and employees are apart of Gilroy community and we support this event yearly. We are in direct contact with Kaylas family also. Please share with others; together we can help with this heartbreaking loss. All monies will go directly into parents account.”
The suspect cut through a gate, avoiding a security checkpoint at the entrance, and began opening fire on the northeast side of the festival. That suspect, identified as Santino William Legan, was shot by police within about one minute. Gilroy Police were already in the area. Police were working to identify a second suspect and determine the second person’s involvement, if any, according to Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee. Police were unsure whether witnesses accounts of a second person involved were accurate.
Here’s what you need to know:
Keyla’s Mom Desperately Looked For Her Daughter
Keyla Salazar’s mom, Lorena Pimentel was looking for her daughter in hospitals while her friend, Maria Zelaya, posted on Facebook looking for information on the girl, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“My friend Lorena’s daughter was shot today at the Gilroy garlic Festival if anyone’s seen her pictured in blue T-shirt please let me know as of 9:30 she doesn’t know where she’s at…” she wrote.
She updated the post after learning the girl passed away.
“Unfortunately Kayla didn’t make it, please lift her family in prayers as they will need all the support specially her mom,” she wrote.
Keyla’s stepfather, Lalo, was shot in the arm, but survived, the newspaper reported.
A GoFundMe Was Started To Raise Funds For The Family
GoFundMe
A local company started a GoFundMe to raise funds for Keyla Salazar’s family. The fundraising page had reached $8,000 of its $50,000 goal in three hours.
“South County CDJR would appreciate your support as another young child’s life has been taken away at 13 years Kayla Salazar, by senseless act of violence at our local yearly city event Gilroy Garlic Festival,” the page said. “Many of our staff and employees are apart of Gilroy community and we support this event yearly. We are in direct contact with Kaylas family also. Please share with others; together we can help with this heartbreaking loss. All monies will go directly into parents account.”
Tragically, Two Other Victims Were Killed In The Shooting
Twitter/GoFundMe
Keyla Salazar was one of three victims who were killed Sunday at the Gilroy Garlic Festival. Her stepfather, Lalo, was also one of about a dozen who suffered gunshot injuries.
Stephen Romero, who was only 6 years old, also died in the shooting.
Romero and Salazar were both from San Jose, California.
Romero had recently celebrated his sixth birthday at Legoland in California. His mother was shot in the stomach and hand and remains hospitalized. Funds are being raised for his family on GoFundMe.
Trevor Irby, 25, was a recent college graduate who recently moved to Santa Cruz from New York. He and his girlfriend, Sarah Warner, were attending the festival together. Warner was not physically injured. His friends set up a GoFundMe to raise funds for his family.