Community leaders address gun violence following double murder in Delano

Community leaders address gun violence following double murder in Delano

A night of shootings in Delano and McFarland have left these two communities devastated.

Injuring four people and taking the life of two pre-teens the events have left many wanting answers.

23ABCs Lezla Gooden talked with community leaders about the double murder.

DEVASTATED.THE FIRST SHOOTING KILLED TWOGIRLS, AGES 11 AND 12 YEARSOLD ..

AND INJURED THREE ADULTSAT A BIRTHDAY PARTY.THE OTHER -- LEAVING AN ADULTWOMAN INJURED.NOW MANY WANTING ANSWERS...23ABC'S LEZLA GOODEN IS LIVE ATVALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH INBAKERSFIELD WITH WHAT COMMUNITYLEADERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THEDOUBLE MURDER...LEZLA??IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 24HOURS SINCETHE DELANO POLICE CONFIRMED THATTWO GIRLS WERE SHOT AND KILLEDIN DELANO LASTNIGHT.NOW A FORMER GANG MEMBER TURNEDPASTOR HERE AT THISNORTHWEST BAKERSFIELD CHURCH..IS SPEAKING OUTAGAINST THIS ACT OF VIOLENCE.BUT I HAVE THIS TO SAY..

YOU AREA COWARD IF YOU DO A DRIVE BYSHOOTING A COWARD..

AND I AM NOTAFRAID TO SAY THAT.AROUND 7:30PM ON THURSDAY NIGHTGUN SHOTS RANG OUT OFF OLEANDERSTREET NEAR 22ND AVE .

IN DELANODURING ABIRTHDAY PARTY..

ACCORDING TOFAMILY MEMBERS.THE SHOOTING INJURED THREEADULTS AND TOOK THE LIFE OF TWOLITTLE GIRLS AGES 12 AND 11YEARS OLD.POLICE SAY THREE ADULTS WERESHOT, BUT ARE RECOVERING.LEAVING MANY IN THE COMMUNITYLIKE PASTOR MIKE SALAZAR AFORMER GANG MEMBER NOW A PASTOROF SET FREE CHURCH INBAKERSFIELD..

CALLING FOR CHANGEAND ANSWERS FORTHIS ACT OF VIOLENCE.WE NEED TO SOMEHOW GET THESEGANG METERS IN AND DOWHATEVER IT TAKES AND NOT JUSTSAY HEY YOU ARE GOING TOJAIL..

WE NEED TO MAKE IMPACT NTHEIR LIFE SOMETHING.DELANO POLICE CHIEF, ROBERTNEVAREZ EXPLAINING ITS APOSSIBILITY IT COULD BE GANGRELATED.I WLL SAY THIS THE MANNER WHICHIT HAPPENED THECAR DRIVE UP THE SUSPECT GOT OUTAND APPROACHED THE GROUP ANDFIRING IN CLOSE DISTANCE IS VERYCONSISTENT WITH MO ANDOPERATIONSTHAT WE HAVE SEEN INRECENT GANG RELATED SHOOTINGS..BECAUSE FO THAT I BELIE THAT ITSGANG RELATED ALTHOUGH WE DON'TKNOW THAT FOR A FACT.CHIEF SAYS THAT SHOOTINGS HADBEEN DOWN FOR A PERIOD DURINGCOVID UP UNTIL TEN DAYS AGO..ANDLAST NIGHT THAT ALL CHANGED.JUST A FEW HOURS LATER AFTER THESHOOTING IN OLEANDER.AROUND10:45 PM IN MCFARLAND A WOMANWAS HOSPITALIZED AFTER SHE WASSHOT MULTIPLE TIMES.

NOWALONGSIDE THE MCFARLAND POLICEDEPARTMENT NEVAREZ SAYS THEYHAVE CREATED AN OPERATION TOADDRESS THE NIGHT OF SHOOTINGS.ITS NOT A SECRET THAT OVER THEYEARS THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOINGFEUD FROM MCFARLAND ANDDELANO..LIKE BACK IN JANUARYWE PUT TOGETHER A PLANINCORPORATED MCFARLAND PDAND DELANO PD WORKING TOGETHERBECAUSEFREQUENTLY THESE SHOOTINGS ARETIED TOGETHERBUT RIGHT NOW I CAN'T PROVE ITAND I DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE THATTHEY ARE CONNECTED BUT I AMSTRONGLY SUSPICIOUS THAT THEYARE.PASTOR MIKE SAYS HIS HEARTBREAKS FOR THE FAMILIES INVOLVEDAND WANTS THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCETO END AND HAS THIS MESSAGE FORANYONE INVOLVED IN THIS SHOOTINGOR GANG RELATED ACTIVITIES.I THINK IF WE CAN GET EACH GANGAND TALK TO THEM INDIVIDUALLYANDFINDING A THE GOAL TO GET THEMTOGETHER..

A DOMINOTOURNAMENT OR POOL EVENT..SOMETHING THAT WILL GET THEM TOLAY THEIR GUNS DOWN.THAT WAS LEZLA GOODEN REPORTINGNOT MUCH SUSPECT INFORMATION ISAVAILABLE.

BUTTHAT WAS LEZLA GOODEN REPORTINGPOLICE SAY THEY BELIEVE THESHOOTER WAS DRIVING A TANTOYOTA SEDAN.IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ONTHE SHOOTING YOU CAN CALLTHEIR ANONYMOUS TIP LINE AT 661-721-33-69.TONIGHT -- THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND