Family and friends held a prayer vigil on Monday for a father and his 4-year-old son who were killed early Saturday by their tenant believed to be angry over an eviction.
Carrying flowers and balloons, a stream of mourners stopped in front of the Inglewood home where a gunman opened fire at 4 a.m. Saturday.
The mood could have been underscored by a note in Spanish left at a makeshift memorial outside the home.
“We accompany you in your pain that is passing in these moments,” said a note from the Portillo family. “We will continue praying for all of you, for God to take care of you and to bless you always.”
The memorial lay outside the home where Gloria Jimenez, 28, and her 30-year-old husband, Filimon Lamas, shared with their four children in the 4900 block of West 99th Street.
Lamas died shielding his children from bullets, police said.
Jimenez, who was shot in both legs, was reported in good condition at a hospital on Monday evening. Her daughter, who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest, was reported in fair condition.
Her 6-year-old son was shot in the pelvis and was out of the hospital. Her 8-year-old son escaped injury.
Funds to help the survivng members of the Lamas and Jimenez families have been established by the Inglewood and Hawthorne police departments.
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"I would like to thank everyone in the community, the emergency responders and the doctors and nurses at UCLA for their ongoing support," said Jimenez in a statement from the hospital. "It is a very sad time for our family and we appreciate your kind words and thoughts and quick response for our care. We feel blessed to have so many people there for us."
Authorities on Monday sought to confirm that the man believed behind the attack took his own life after the rampage.
Authorities believe that the body of the gunman, Desmond John Moses, 55, was amid the charred rubble of his burned home that investigators believe Moses set fire to.
The man found in the burned-out home wore body armor and was holding a .38 handgun registered to Moses, a licensed security guard, police said.
He “had what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head,” said Inglewood police Lt. James Madia.
Police said the tragedy was sparked because Moses blamed the family for the eviction notice he had received from their landlord.
Neighbors said Moses had lived in one of two apartments at the rear of the property for years. He was quiet and didn’t talk much with anyone. They said he had not paid rent in years.
Gloria Jimenez’s father, Angel Jimenez, said his son-in-law never had any problems with the suspected gunman. He said he believes the gunman “lost it” because he was going to lose his home.
He had no words to explain his feelings.
As for whether he harbors ill will toward the gunman, Angel Jimenez said, “God will take care of him.”
Donations can be made to:
- The Lamas Family Donation Fund
ICE Federal Credit Union, One West Manchester Blvd., Suite 603, Inglewood, CA 90301
Account no. 5223
or,
- The Jimenez/Lamas Family Fund
via any Wells Fargo branch
Account no. 4122412588
