VISALIA, Calif. (NewsNation) — A week after two people were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of six people in Goshen, California, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office released the Ring doorbell footage of events police are calling a “cartel-style massacre.”
In the video, 16-year-old Alissa Parraz was seen running away in terror with her 10-month-old son Nycholas Parraz. Both Alissa and her son were found dead lying next to each other down the street.
The sheriff has said Alissa had just been awarded full custody of her son after he spent months in the foster care system. The two were reunited on Jan. 13 — three days before they were killed.
The other four victims were identified as Rosa Parraz, 72; Eladio Parraz, Jr., 52; Jennifer Analla, 49; and Marcos Parraz, 19.
The suspects, 35-year-old Angel Uriarte and 25-year-old Noah Beard, were known members of the Norteno gang, and their involvement in the gang led law enforcement to believe the shooting was the result of gang violence.
The Goshen killings were part of a violent and deadly month in California, causing many to wonder what kind of influence Mexico’s drug cartels have in the U.S.
According to the database Calgang, California has over 34,000 tallied gang members statewide. The database has identified 564 gangs with another 144 pending review.
It is believed by law enforcement that these gangs in America are largely fueled by the cartels.
“There is absolutely some connection between the upper echelons of these California street and prison gangs and the Mexican cartels,” Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said. “Most street gangs, their revenue comes from selling illegal drugs, right? Cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, not as much. But those two drugs especially. They’re getting a lot of that product from Mexico.”
Boudreaux said authorities are finding that the drugs are being distributed among this particular gang by the influence of the cartel.
“They have infiltrated our communities, our business communities and they’re typically business people who you would never suspect,” he said.
On Tuesday, Beard entered a not-guilty plea to the killings. Uriarte, the other suspect, is still in the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound sustained during the arrest.
Police said the investigation is still ongoing and that anyone with information is asked to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at 559-733-6218.
