Movie theater shooting: TikTok star Anthony Barajas dies days after being placed on life support
CORONA, Calif. - Officials announced Saturday 19-year-old Anthony Barajas died days after he was shot inside a movie theater in Corona during a showing of "The Forever Purge." Barajas attended the movie with 18-year-old Rylee Goodrich who died at the scene.
Following his death, the Corona Police Department is working with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office to add an additional charge of first-degree murder against suspected gunman Joseph Jimenez.
MOVIE THEATER SHOOTING
On Monday around 11:45 a.m., Corona PD received a 911 call for service from the Regal Edwards Theater at the Crossings Shopping Center. Once at the theater, arriving officers discovered two victims suffering from gunshot wounds inside the auditorium near their seats.
Cpl. Kouroubacalis with Corona PD said detectives are unable to use surveillance footage for the investigation because no cameras were recording inside the theater at the time of the shooting.
Goodrich was pronounced dead at the scene while 19-year-old Anthony Barajas was rushed to a local trauma center in critical condition where he remained on life support until he passed away early Saturday morning.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Movie theater shooting: TikTok star on life support, woman killed during showing of 'The Forever Purge'
- Suspect arrested in deadly Corona movie theater shooting of young woman, TikTok star
- Dad who lost daughter in movie theater shooting wonders why there were no metal detectors
THE YOUNG VICTIMS
Rylee Goodrich was going into her sophomore year at Grand Canyon University on a full scholarship to study marketing.
She was a graduate of Corona High School "but she wanted to go into criminal justice and had been working with me this summer in my Private Investigator job," her grieving dad Dave Goodrich said.
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In an interview with FOX 11, her father questioned why there were no metal detectors at the theater. He said the two were on their first date and that Barajas was "a boy her dad actually approved of.
RELATED: Dad who lost daughter in movie theater shooting wonders why there were no metal detectors
Anthony Barajas, known as @itsanthonymichael on social media, has a large following, including more than 936,000 followers on TikTok.
While the suspect and the victims are close in age, Corona PD investigators do not believe the victims and the suspect knew one another prior to the shooting. Officials also do not believe Barajas' social media fame played a role in the attack.
GoFundMe pages have been created for Barajas and Goodrich:
THE SUSPECTED GUNMAN
Corona PD detectives issued a search warrant at a home in the El Cerrito neighborhood located near the 15 Freeway and East Ontario Avenue around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. Investigators were led to the suspect’s home after interviewing witnesses and an anonymous tip.
The Riverside County Gang Impact Team (GIT) was part of the search team, however, the suspect is not a registered gang member, Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis said.
While at the home, authorities discovered a handgun and other evidence that connected to the shooting. Cpl. Kouroubacalis said during a press conference Wednesday that the shell casings found at the theater matched the caliber of the weapon.
Jimenez, 20, was subsequently arrested and taken into custody Tuesday night.
He was booked into the Riverside Presley Detention Center on charges of murder, robbery with a gun and attempted murder. He is being held on a $2,000,000 bail.
On Friday, Jimenez appeared in court. He is charged with one count each of murder and attempted murder, both with enhancements for using a gun. Jimenez also faces a special allegation of lying in wait, which would indicate some kind of premeditation, although the District Attorney did not want to comment directly on that.
While mourning the loss of his daughter, Dave Goodrich attended the hearing. Visibly distraught, he yelled "that was my daughter!" inside the courtroom.
RELATED: 'That was my daughter!' Dad yells at suspected shooter who killed teen in 'Forever Purge' showing
Anyone with information is asked to contact Corona PD. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call 951-817-5837.