Gilroy garlic festival shooting
Courtesy YouTube

https://youtu.be/h8lIpWVktZI

Gilroy, California is known as the garlic capital of America and holds a heavily-attended garlic festival each year. This evening, a man opened fire on the festival crowd.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“It was quite shocking and I’m fortunate to be alive,” said Michael Paz, 72, a hat vendor at the festival.

Paz said he was about 80 feet away from the shooter, who he described as being in his 30s and armed with a rapid-fire, assault rifle.

“He came ready to shoot because he was wearing a protective vest,” Paz said. “He was shooting left; he was shooting right without any particular aim.”

Here’s the Associated Press’s string of updates as they came in. The shooter has not yet been apprehended.

GILROY, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on a shooting at an annual food festival in Northern California (all times local):

8:30 p.m.

A spokeswoman for Stanford Medical Center says they have two patients there being treated from a shooting Sunday at an annual food festival in Northern California. Julie Greicius says she has no details on their injuries or conditions.

Earlier Sunday, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Joy Alexiou said the hospital has received two victims from the shooting and expects three more. She also had no information on their conditions.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump sent a tweet saying: “Law Enforcement is at the scene of shootings in Gilroy, California. Reports are that shooter has not yet been apprehended. Be careful and safe!”

___

7:45 p.m.

Witnesses to the shooting Sunday at an annual food festival in Northern California described the confusion and panic at the scene, the Mercury News reported.

Evenny Reyes of Gilroy, 13, told the newspaper that spent the day at the Gilroy Garlic Festival with her friends and relatives.

“We were just leaving and we saw a guy with a bandana wrapped around his leg because he got shot. And there were people on the ground, crying,” Reyes said. “There was a little kid hurt on the ground. People were throwing tables and cutting fences to get out.”

Reyes told the Mercury News that she didn’t run at first because the gunshots sounded like fireworks. “It started going for five minutes, maybe three. It was like the movies — everyone was crying, people were screaming.”

Todd Jones, a sound engineer, told the newspaper that he was at the front of the festival’s Vineyard stage when he heard what sounded like a firework. “But then it started to increase, more rapidly, which sounded more like gunfire, and at that point people realized what was happening,” Jones said.

At least five people were hospitalized Sunday at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, a hospital spokeswoman says.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Joy Alexiou says the hospital has received two victims from the shooting and expects three more. She had no information on their conditions.

Video first posted on social media sites about an hour ago showed people running for safety at the festival,

___

7:35 p.m.

Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are responding to the scene of a shooting at an annual food festival in northern California.

At least five people were hospitalized Sunday at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, a hospital spokeswoman says.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Joy Alexiou says the hospital has received two victims from the shooting and expects three more. She had no information on their conditions.

Video first posted on social media sites about an hour ago showed people running for safety at the festival,

The Gilroy Police Department on its Twitter account issued a statement saying: “The hearts of Gilroy PD and entire community go out to the victims of today’s shooting at the Garlic Festival. The scene is still active. If you are looking for a loved one, please go to the reunification center at Gavilan College at parking lot B.”

The festival is a nationally known three-day event that attracts thousands of garlic lovers. Sunday was the final day of the festival.

___

7:25 p.m.

At least five people were injured Sunday at an annual food festival in Northern California, a hospital spokeswoman says.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Joy Alexiou says the hospital has received two victims from the shooting and expects three more. She had no information on their conditions.

Video first posted on social media sites about an hour ago showed people running for safety at the festival,

The Gilroy Garlic Festival is a nationally known three-day event that attracts thousands of garlic lovers. Sunday was the final day of the festival.

___

7:05 p.m.

There are reports of a shooting at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival in California.

The San Francisco Chronicle did not know how many people were involved in the shooting Sunday.

Video on social media sites showed people running for safety at the festival,

The festival is a nationally known three-day event that attracts thousands of garlic lovers. Sunday was the final day of the festival.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

71 COMMENTS

        • …this infraction will go down on your permanent record!

          and not cookie after dinner!

          basically that is all cali laws right now….and I am not kidding!

          you can steal up to $1000 and only get a ticket, no arrest!

  4. “California has an “assault weapons” ban, a Red Flag Law, a ten-day waiting period on gun purchases, a “good cause” requirement for concealed carry permit issuance, a background check requirement for ammunition purchases, and more.”

    All seems to be in order…

  5. This can not happen in CA – They already banned high capacity everything, and I am sure it was a gun free zone – correct???

  6. Bloody shirt wavers in 3-2-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    leave no tragedy unused for advancement of office…DNC rule #1

  7. Is only 1 dead still considered a mass shooting??
    Hopefully the wounded just tripped over each other.
    Lets see the story change come the morning. Get ready for the shirt wavers.
    Since there are no assault rifles and over stock capacity bullet thingines. In Commiefornia.
    Cant be an AR15.
    Might be an AR6 though or maybe even a AR3. Since those don’t exist I wonder what was used.

    • We’re up to three dead, and over a dozen wounded (granted it sounds like stampeding was part of the issue), and at least one dead guy firing a gun into a large crowd of people at random. WTH would you call it? (Yes, I know there’s a specific FBI stat-group called “mass shooting” that this may or may not manage to fall within)

      • Amazing how you pack both arithmetic mistakes and unsupported statements in there.
        It is not three dead “and” dead shooter, but three dead INCLUDING the shooter,. That is not a mass murder in ANY developed democracy.

        As far as it being “random” you are LYING. The answer is we do not know and since most murder Including double murders like this are not random, it is much more likely targeted. that is an area of high gang activity. It also could even more easily be domestic or work or other dispute.

        Apparently very few injured have gunshot wounds, and my local new station has witnesses saying rapid fire was by police.

    • Laws against speeding on the highway are violated every day thousands of times yet no one talks of repealing laws regarding speeding.

      The argument of “why have laws, people will just break them” is not really a rational argument, or one we can expect citizens to get behind.

      It is reasonable to establish laws and regulations regarding the exercise of liberties, we do it in every domain of life. You have freedom of movement, but you can’t travel on private property. You have freedom of speech, but you can’t commit libel or slander.
      You have a right to peaceably assemble, but you still need a permit for a parade.

      A prudent person would await the results of the investigation, before forming any conclusion about more or less gun laws and enforcement.

      And it’s certainly not a time for sarcastic comments regarding gun violence in any state.

      Let’s have a moment to mourn and remember those killed, including the six-year-old boy just starting out on his life journey.

      • “Laws against speeding on the highway are violated every day thousands of times yet no one talks of repealing laws regarding speeding.”

        Yes we do, constantly, and we have actually done so in some places. In those we have not, we have dramatically increased the speed limit. I drive I10 at 80mph completely legally now. When I started my career that would have landed me in jail.

        The real question is why would anyone support a law that has proven to have no benefit to the safety and security of the population?

        • Gun laws do work to reduce death from gun violence, and there is research to prove this conclusion.

          “Children living in states with strict firearm laws are less likely to die from gun violence than those in states with more lax restrictions, according to a study in Pediatrics published Monday. The more rigorous the rules, the lower the risk, the researchers showed.

          The U.S. has the highest rate of firearm-related deaths among children in high-income countries, as well as the highest rate of gun ownership and the loosest laws. The findings are part of a new wave of research into the impact of firearms on public health.”

          Pediatrics is a peer reviewed journal, if the numbers were incorrect it would not have been published. If one wanted to contest the results of this study, they should provide rigorously peer reviewed studies to support their position. Otherwise, it’s just empty speech.

        • I’m guessing you didn’t take the time to actually read the study. If so, you’d draw the opposite conclusion.
          Go back and read it, but here’s the takeaway:
          15 to18 year olds involved in narcotic criminal activity shoot and get shot a lot, even when it’s illegal for them to posses a firearm, which they illegally obtained.
          Laws, not working, again.

        • ““Children living in states with strict firearm laws are less likely to die from gun violence than those in states with more lax restrictions, according to a study in Pediatrics published Mondaa”

          That study actually shows that same demographic states with more strict gun laws have MORE murder. and that given equal demographic cohorts in states with more guns and less gun control are LESS likely to be murder victims. so it actually proves that gun laws cause more harm, not less.

          The entire thesis of that junk science paid for by the gun control lobby is based on a handful of outliers that are hyper-violent in EVERY metric, not just guns.

          How about we not compare Hawaii to Alabama, but states that are same region with very close income, education, age and other demographics? Just look at overall homicide rate in Maryland and Virginia. You don’t compare states that are similar in all demographics. When you do that study’s results invert.

          It also counts gun suicide, but not suicide by other means?

      • The data show that households of non criminals who own guns are about 25% safer from crime victimization, including murder, than the remaining homes, including homes with no guns at all.

        And your study claims New Hampshire , which has a lower murder rate than Canada or Australia, has more strict gun laws than average? A child can walk the streets of New Hampshire with a loaded semi auto rifle.

        By the way if you don’t know why the analogy with speed limits has been debunked over and over you don’t understand anything. Speed limits don’t actually reduce speeding deaths — the data show enforcement does.

        Same with gun violence. 177 out of 3,000 US counties account for 70% of US murder. Every one of the Democrat and every one of them with LOWER than average time served for a given violent crime.

        why do you think the places with higher gun murder rate also have the highest knife and bludgeoning murder? It tells you the tool is irreverent, and the PERSON causes the death.

        Fact is if you are not a criminal, reduced gun laws make you SAFER

        .

      • To use your speeding analogy to the extent of “common sense gun laws,” we would be taking away your privilege of driving. Is that where you’re going with this?

    • “Gun laws fail again…”

      We are fond of pointing to incidents that “prove” gun laws are futile. We like to hammer that point, as if we think the ant-gun mob will learn from their mistakes, and stop piling-on more futile gun laws, after we clearly demonstrate anti-gun laws don’t work. Unfortunately, we are talking only to ourselves. Well, almost only….

      The more we drive the point about useless gun laws, the more fuel we provide to the inferno. If we prove that absolutely zero gun laws prevent anything, what will the anti-gun mafia actually do? Agree with us, and use our own words to provide support for confiscation. If the laws of the last 100yrs haven’t deterred any shootings, then that is solid evidence that only removing guns from not yet criminal gun owners will meet the goal of public safety.

      Regarding the utility of gun laws, the anti- and pro- lobbies aren’t even in the same conversation.

      • “If the laws of the last 100yrs haven’t deterred any shootings, then that is solid evidence that only removing guns from not yet criminal gun owners will meet the goal of public safety.”

        Which is already the goal. We lose nothing by exposing it.

        • “Which is already the goal. We lose nothing by exposing it.”

          But are we not providing our own rope? One day, the leaders of the anti-gunners are going to pick up on this thread, and we will be powerless to stop it. Federal judge in Californication just ruled that semi-auto rifles are “essentially indistinguishable from M-16s.” “semi-autos banned either by name or cosmetic features such as collapsible stocks or muzzle brakes were basically military-grade hardware”
          https://www.guns.com/news/2019/07/26/federal-court-semi-autos-indistinguishable-from-m-16s

          The irony is lost on federal judges: Second Amendment was designed to protect military grade weapons (weapons of war) from confiscation by the federal government, but the federal government may ban civilian possession of military grade weapons because they are military grade weapons.

          This is what “history and traditon” get you: violating constitutionally protected human rights is permissible if courts have historically and traditionally ruled such violations permissible.

  9. 1 dead 4 wounded??

    or your average SLOW Friday night in Chicago??? or LA or NYC or most major cities???

    • But the lily white pearl clutching racists in the DNC will actually care about this because… reasons…

      Yeah… Funny how 8 dead over the course of a single weekend in Chiraq rarely causes the same amount of outrage as some random nutjob being a random nutjob.

      • Because it didn’t happen in the containment zone. Folk in there simply cannot help themselves with all the oppression and racism they deal with…….. I hate being able to understand this rationalization.

  10. Here we go again. Make more laws so law abiding citizens cannot defend themselves. If CA tries to force anything along the lines of a “buyback” or all out ban, I hope you will all take some vacation and meet the rest of us at the capitol, open carrying. Because that is the only thing that will stop them.

    California has been the #1 mass shooting state since, forever, or at least since these crime stats started being recorded. Earliest data I can find begins in 1982, and Florida is #2 but CA has almost double the amount. So, CA, how are those laws working out for you?

    • You say California has more mass shootings than any other state?

      And I’m sure you and many others believe this, fascinating…

      The fact is, Florida ranks number one in the past five years, with a greater population. And Florida has reasonably lax gun laws with hundreds of thousands of permit holders.

      From an article by the AJC:

      State shootings per capita:

      1. Nevada (Vegas shooting skews this)
      2. Washington D.C.
      3. Louisiana
      4. Illinois
      5. Mississippi
      6. Tennessee
      7. Alabama
      8. Missouri
      9. Florida
      10. Georgia

      Since 2014, 11 more people died in mass shootings in Florida than in California, where private ownership of assault rifles is banned. And California has more than twice as many people as Florida.

      And California ranks number 23 for mass shootings per capita.

      Did the lax gun laws lead to Parkland, who knows, more research needed.

        • “California has been the #1 mass shooting state since, forever, or at least since these crime stats started being recorded. ”

          No straw man here, comment clearly says California has the most shootings. And that is incorrect. Per capita, meaning per person, Florida is number one and California is number 23.

        • Except that he didn’t say “per capita”… again commie fails basic reading comprehension.

        • Yes, California has 40 million American citizens within the boundaries of the state.

          Viewing these incidents in the context of per capita, or per person, is the only reasonable way to examine the statistics.

          Obviously, a state with more population is going to have the more incidence of everything, including shootings. One must examine the rate per person in order to understand which state has a higher rate of gun violence.

          For you to ignore the context is to twist the statistics to try to prove your point.

          Congratulations, you’ve employed a basic tool of propaganda.

          Sad.

        • Miner49er,

          “No straw man here, comment clearly says California has the most shootings. And that is incorrect. Per capita, meaning per person,”

          You can’t quote a different statistic, then state the original comment quoted a statistic it clearly did not, and then claim that pwrserge is the one to “twist the statistic” when you get called on it. At least not if you expect to be taken seriously.

        • “Yes, California has 40 million American citizens within the boundaries of the state. ”

          don’t forget to add the 10 million illegal aliens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • Miner49er might be on the other (wrong IMHO) side of an issue but he’s a whole lot more respectful about it than most antigun people, especially the ones who come on here.

        • Thank you, I am actually very pro-gun and have been for about 50 years, ever since I owned my first Ruger Mark one bull barrel.

          The problem is the glorification and out right worship of guns, to the exclusion of common sense, that I see now. All the movie stars now or swaggering bullies, musclebound humping squad weapons.

          My model is more Gary Cooper or Jimmy Stewart, walk softly but conceal a big stick.

          These people are going to John Wick and Rambo us right into gun prohibition.

        • Problem is, Miner, their goal remains the same whether we walk softly or not.

          No matter what we do, they’re aiming for the same goal: registration, confiscation, and restriction of a civil right until it becomes an expensive privilege to be exercised only by a chosen few.

          A lot of the people who “walk softly” as you’d prefer are actually perfectly fine with that end goal. They figure they’ll be on the inside when the dust settles, and they’re happy to separate themselves from the noisy rabble.

          Me, I know damn well where I’ll be if they get their way: on the outside looking in. For the rest of my life. I have neither money nor connections nor any patience for jumping through hoops.

          In this fight, I’m the preordained loser already. If I refuse to hop into the ring, I lose. If I join the fight, the game’s rigged against me. Might as well jump into the ring spitting and snarling, then.

      • Miner49er,

        As pwrserge pointed out, you are arguing different statistics. But let’s take into account per capita. Florida has relatively lax guns laws. California the nation’s strictest.

        Number of mass shooting in CA over the last 17 years: 19
        Number of mass shooting in FL over the last 17 years: 11
        Population of CA: 39.5K
        Population of FL 21.3K

        Even in the rate, we are looking at the difference between .000481 (CA) and .000516 (FL). Those are single digit percentage changes, in a sample set so small that any single year has a massive change on the outcome. With such a small sample size, you can cherry pick your outcome depending on the years you include. The differences in the numbers are tiny.

        No matter which statistic you want to go by, total number of mass shootings or mass shooting per capita, the data proves that there is no benefit to these infringements.

        I got population number from Wikipedia, and mass shooting numbers here:
        https://www.statista.com/statistics/811541/mass-shootings-in-the-us-by-state/

      • Jet, The original commentor said that California was the ‘#1 mass shooting state’.

        We can quibble over what that really means, but the fact is, the only meaningful statistic is the rate per capita of mass shootings.

        States with larger populations will always have more of everything, both good and bad. To intentionally ignore that reality is deceptive.

        • Did you fail to read my comment at all? I’m not ignoring the rate. My comment was specifically about the rate. The differences in rate, as well as the totals, shows that your claim that “gun laws do work” is incorrect.

  12. As packed as the Garlic Festival gets (because everyone is there for the garlic ice cream?), very surprised that only 1 person was killed. What made the killer stop after only 1 dead?
    Was he targeting an ex-girlfriend or someone in particular?

    • They didn’t stop at only one dead.

      All that means is that there was only one confirmed death reported so far.

      There will be more.

    • Large attendance, but at least not an enclosed venue (fish in a barrel) that restricts movement and escape. Less likely to trap or corner targets. Most likely, the shitbird shot closer and slower targets then became less accurate as folks ran for their lives. Regardless, let’s hope the numbers stay low.

  13. Commiefornia has some catching up to do. Chicago is already up to 8 homicides since Friday night. Funny how nobody cares about the fact that this incident would be a slow day for Chiraq this time of year.

    • Man bites dog reporting in action. We see the same kind of thing in Troy and Amsterdam over here.

  14. Yes… It’s a disgusting TRAGEDY that nobody cares or even thinks about the concrete jungle that is Chicago….
    If you say one thing about Chicago, you’re a racist…
    What kind of sick thinking is that?…. If you dare to care you’ll be condemned for it….
    It’s a sick and evil way…. People need to WAKE UP and see it for what it is….

  15. My wife and I are both retired LE and went to this event last year, for the first time, and the last. Been there, done it. No need to go back.

    We knew CCWs weren’t allowed, so you’re stuck abiding with the stupid policies if you make the decision to go. You get as much advance info online and try to prep appropriately for the experience; mainly for the fun and basic logistics. But we always try to be prepped for the “what if”, just in case.

    We went on the last day as well, later in the day, cuz it’s usually in the high 90s/low 100s, and is less hot at that time.

    We didn’t realize that designated parking (a huge dirt lot) is FAR away and requires shuttle buses to the actual entrance to the festival. But it’s an agricultural community and event.

    You wait in line until you’re grouped up for your bus. Tarps on poles provide minimal shade, and there’s no seating until you get on your bus.

    I always have EDC gear for the both of us (backpack) lots of extra water, sunscreen, MFAK blowout kit, powerpack etc. and were dressed appropriately with hiking boots, hats, sunglasses, sunblock (SPF 1 million), lol.

    I keep a Benchmade folder in the pack as well, and normally stash it with my medical gear with the med scissors, knowing that most “family oriented” outdoor events aren’t as invasive like dedicated concert venues and the like.

    The terrain is uneven dirt fields. I saw so many folks wearing sandals and flip flops, no hats, tons of tourists. Typical.

    I asked an employee how far the ride was, and she just said “just a few minutes”, as I looked at my map. The bus driver reminds everyone not to lose your ticket, which tells you where and when your departure shuttles you back including the last available shuttle.

    We always pay attention to instructions and keep our eyes open to familiarize ourselves with the area so we know how to get back on our own, should anything happen, including SHTF stuff. Although the bus was not traveling fast, it was pretty far out. From the time we parked, waited for the bus to fill up, and drop us off, it was over 45 minutes. Looking out the bus window, we drove through residential neighborhoods, so it made sense that massive crowds would be parking all over and just pissing off the residents.

    I used the GPS on my phone and took a screenshot of our waypoints just in case you might lose internet access to Google Maps at the worst possible moment and when darkness hits.

    I made a comment to my wife saying that, depending on what end of the park we find ourselves, it could be at least an hour on foot back to the car (where the rest of our shit is), not to mention any obstacles that may have to be negotiated for whatever reason.

    I specifically remember saying that this can be a logistical nightmare in a large scale emergency.

    Like I said, this terrain is all uneven dirt, like a huge fenced-off campground. It’s a daytime event, no electricity really. Clear signage at the entrance prohibiting weapons, liquor, stupid behavior etc. Lots of uniformed PD around, lots of staff on golf carts, port-a-potties and the like.

    We did not get searched or wanded, no magnetometers, the line keeps moving and it’s hot as fuck. The Benchmade goes into the trousers after entering, and you enjoy the rest of the day.

    Great food, music and vendors. Interesting garlic creations. We loved the Garlic Corn on the Cob, and the Garlic Almond Ice Cream was actually pretty good.

    Sorry for the lengthy comments, but, go frickin figure!

    Even the first video shows that the lady didn’t know where her shuttles were staged. Hump it back to your vehicle without knowing where the threat(s) are or emergency exits. Yikes.

    What if you gotta get through the fencing, or worse, come face to face with the threat?

    My wife and I are old enough to have enjoyed a lot of fun events over the decades, including working so many on the job. Now we find ourselves not participating in crowded events as much. Been there, done that.

    Now the libtards will use this tragedy to further their agenda. Thank God we have options outside of California.

    We pray for for all those impacted by today’s event. Peace… TSF. 🙏

      • Thanks very much for taking the time to write such a detailed post B.
        Very informative and really put us in the picture.

        So many people have zero situational awareness,
        though I’m not sure how much it would have helped here.

        I wish TTAG had a ‘like’ or +/- button to thank posters like B.

      • Thank you for being prepared, it’s angels like you and your wife who provide the bulk of emergency services in times of crisis.

        The best first responders are usually your neighbors.

      • LEOSA and Active Off-Duty or Ret. LE CCWs are not allowed in many private property venues (at least here in California). Years ago my brother, who was an active sworn Sergeant at the time, got denied at Disneyland for Off-Duty carry w/ID and had to lock it up in his vehicle.

        However, years ago I was allowed to enter the San Diego Zoo with my Off-Duty CCW. A San Diego Deputy Sheriff was at the entrance, verified my ID and simply said to me; “I’m sure I don’t have to remind you about exercising safety and responsibility with your CCW on zoo property, Sir?” Obviously I replied, “No, Sir”. He gave me a nod and said, “Have a great time with your family.

        Now that was a cool Deputy. He was an older veteran, probably getting close to his 30.

        • About what I expected, coming up on when I begin to be eligible to own a pistol in NY and was curious how that would factor in (largely ignored) thank you

  16. At least 3 dead, over 14 injured, 1 suspect dead after shootout, possible 2nd suspect at large. Gunman went around security by cutting his way through fencing. Gunman shot little kids to older people. Gunman described to be a white male, wearing a green vest, using a black rifle with magazines taped together. Gunmen shot a 12 year old Mexican/Hispanic girl as she ran away with her young cousins, she survived.

  17. I’m not reading the usual screaming about EBRs/AR15s on various news sites. If mentioned at all, I see words such as rifle, assault rifle and that’s about it.

    Perhaps it’s early on but usually the news will focus on magazine capacity, rapid fire, super deadly, weapon of choice….a bit on the odd side of usual reporting, subdued even.

    `just my perception.

    • Pretty hard to make an argument on the “super deadly” front when the guy fires as many rounds as he does yet hits as few people as he does.

      Kinda puts the lie to “it’s a murder machine that makes killing easy!”. They’ll still try I’m sure but right now they’re trying to figure out how to push that narrative without looking like their obviously lying.

    • Still early. They gotta wait to see what agenda the MSM overlords want them to push today.

  18. From other reports, it seems like the more rapid fire that came later was the on-site police responding and shooting the killer. By the time people started running, it was over. Given the crowds, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that at least one casualty came from the police since “beyond the target” doesn’t get much consideration in active shooter response training. I don’t think it’s been published outside the local media, but it seems that one of the girls shot during the STEM School incident was hit by the armed guard, who was a former deputy sheriff.

Comments are closed.