6-year-old boy among four dead at garlic festival shooting; authorities identify gunman

A 6-year-old boy was among four people killed, including a gunman, in a mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Northern California.

According to CNN, Stephen Romero, 6, is among three people killed by a gunman who opened fire at the popular festival on Sunday. Responding police officers shot and killed the suspect very shortly after they arrived on the scene.

Stephen’s father, Alberto Romero, reportedly told the Mercury News that he received a call Sunday from his wife saying that she, her son, and her mother had all been shot.

Alberto went to the hospital where his son was being treated and was eventually pronounced dead.

“They told me he was in critical condition and that they were working on him,” the father told the newspaper. “Five minutes later they told me he was dead.”

NBC News reports that the shooting suspect has been identified as 19-year-old Santino William Legan. Police are also seeking a possible second suspect who may have been involved in the shooting, but that individual’s identity is not known.

According to CBS News, witnesses said the gunman spoke during the massacre, saying in response to an apparent question about why he opened fire, “I am very angry.”

Authorities have not yet confirmed the identifies of the two other people who were killed in the shooting. According to the most recent update from CNN, 12 others were injured in the shooting. The conditions of those victims are not known, though the report states that one of the injured victims brought themselves to the hospital.

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