Why We Carry: Two Teens Gunned Down In Movie Theater On First Date, 20-Year-Old Suspect Arrested

CORONA, CALIFORNIA — A TikTok influencer with over 1 million followers was shot in the head execution style, along with a young woman who he was on a first date with.

The young woman, 18-year-old Rylee Goodrich, died at the scene. The young man, 19-year-old Anthony Barajas, was taken off life support 4 days after the shooting.

The two were at a movie theater watching “The Forever Purge”, a movie that sold 6 tickets for that showing. Another ticket holder turned out to be the suspect.

Corona police detectives identified 20-year-old Joseph Jimenez as a suspect and arrested him Tuesday. Initially charged with murder and attempted murder, Jimenez appeared in Riverside County Superior Court Friday but didn’t enter a plea and his arraignment was continued to next week.

via abc7ny.com

The two victims were found by movie theater employees as they were cleaning after the movie had ended.

So far, the attack seems to have been random and unprovoked, but police noted that items were taken from the victims. A wallet belonging to one of the victims was found at the suspect’s home, along with a firearm consistent with the caliber used in the attack.

The father of Goodrich confronted the suspect in court, fighting back emotions.

In California, one needs to be 21 years of age or older to own a handgun, as well as carry one. The two victims in this case weren’t yet of age to do so, and maybe they never even thought about it before.

My mind always goes to a different place, though; What if someone else in the theater had been armed? After all, we know that help is typically minutes away when you need it in seconds.