WASCO, Bakersfield Calif. — It’s been a very sad day for the Ramirez family. Four of their family members are gone due to gun violence.
The Kern County Sheriff's SWAT team responded to Poplar Avenue and 1st Street Sunday afternoon attempting to rescue several people from what Sheriff Donny Youngblood said was likely a domestic violence incident. While the coroner's office has not identified the gunman, family and neighbors told 23ABC on Monday he is Jose Manuel Ramirez Sr.
A family member who was at the Ramirez home earlier Monday identified the victims as his sister-in-law Viviana and his two nephews Joe and Angel.
Family members and neighbors 23ABC spoke with earlier said they are still trying to process everything.
George Vazquez, Viviana's brother-in-law told 23ABC that his wife drove down to Wasco to help her sister's family. According to Vasquez, Viviana was a great person and always had a big heart.
“She was a very happy-go-lucky girl. She was always smiling, very nice person and just a big heart. She was very very nice.”
A neighbor told 23ABC that she helped two young girls escape the home and is still devastated she couldn’t help the rest of the family. The neighbor went on to say she believed they were a very loving family who owned a muffler shop around the corner.
“One (of the boys) was going to start his own little business. He was eager to do so," said Vazquez. "Their life was taken very early.”
Throughout the day people have been laying flowers outside the home and paying their respects.
