Less than 30 seconds passed when a silver Kia pulled up to a King City home hosting a birthday party. Three men exited the vehicle and opened fire on the crowd, hitting eleven people and resulting in four deaths.
James Hunt, the police chief of King City, described the incident as “senseless” and stated that the violence was over in a matter of seconds.
In response to the tragedy, King City is offering a $20,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspects responsible for the shooting.
The gunmen, dressed in dark clothing and masks, quickly fled the scene after shooting at the party attendees.
Seven injured adults were taken to hospitals in Monterey County, with two in critical condition and the others with non-life-threatening injuries.
The victims were identified as Alicia Ramirez Aparicio, Francisco Aldape Perez, Olivo Perez Pina, and Mario Guzman Mendoza, all residents of King City.
Mayor Mike LeBarre expressed his condolences and called the incident a “terrible tragedy” for the community.
King City, known for its agriculture industry, has a population of around 14,000 residents, with a majority being Latinos.
Councilmember Carlos Victoria denounced the shooting, stating that such violence was unprecedented in the small rural community.
Police Chief Hunt acknowledged previous gang issues in the community but emphasized that a mass shooting of this scale was unusual for King City.
The investigation, which includes a $20,000 reward, is a significant task for the city’s police department, with assistance from various law enforcement agencies.
Anyone with information is urged to contact King City Police Sgt. Josh Partida or call the WeTip line.
Times staff writer Summer Lin contributed to this report.
