SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man accused of shooting and killing four people, including a 9-year-old boy, and attempting to kill three more people Wednesday evening after chaining the gates of an Orange business complex closed has been charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. The suspect suffered gunshot wounds after opening fire on two Orange police officers.
Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez, 44, of Fullerton has been charged with four felony counts of murder, one felony count of attempted murder, and two felony counts of attempted murder of a police officer.
Gaxiola has also been charged with four felony enhancements of the personal discharge of a firearm causing death, one felony enhancement of the personal discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, one felony enhancement of premeditation, one felony enhancement of the personal use of a firearm, one felony enhancement of the personal discharge of a firearm.
Prosecutors are also alleging the special circumstance of multiple murders. Gaxiola is eligible for the death penalty.
On Wednesday, March 31, around 5:34 p.m. a 911 caller reported a man shooting into a business at 202 W. Lincoln Avenue in the City of Orange.
Police arrived minutes later to find the gates to the business’ courtyard had been locked with a bicycle cable-type lock, preventing officers from accessing the property. A man, later identified as Gaxiola, is accused of shooting at the two officers, who returned fire. Gaxiola was wounded.
Officers used bolt cutters to cut the locks and found four people who had been shot to death within the business complex, including a 9-year-old boy. A man and two women were also found dead. A third woman was wounded and taken to a hospital where she remains in critical but stable condition.
The identities of the victims have not been released pending notification of next of kin. Gaxiola and all the adult victims had both personal and business connections to each other.
Gaxiola remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition. He is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon from his hospital bed with the hearing livestreamed from Department C5.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is continuing to investigate the officer-involved shooting that occurred during this incident as is standard with officer-involved shootings and custodial deaths involving the Orange Police Department. The legal conclusions and any relevant body-worn camera footage will be published on the District Attorney’s website at www.orangecountyda.org once the investigation is completed.
“Our hearts are shattered into a million pieces as the community mourns the loss of four innocent lives, including a young boy, as a result of the horrific events that unfolded Wednesday evening and we pray for the recovery of the sole survivor,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The taking of the life of another human being is the most serious of crimes and the slaughter of multiple people while they were essentially locked in a shooting gallery is nothing short of terrifying. We ask our sworn police officers to answer calls for help and race into dangerous situations. Thankfully the police officers who answered the call that day escaped injury. The residents of Orange County can rest assured that the District Attorney’s Office is taking every possible step to ensure that every aspect of this case and the subsequent officer-involved shooting is thoroughly reviewed and that justice will be served for each and every victim.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Mena Guirguis of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
