(KTLA) — An investigation is underway after a woman was discovered fatally shot and a man was found injured following a movie screening at a Corona theater, police said Tuesday.
The incident was reported about 11:45 p.m. Monday at the Edwards Theater.
Workers had gone inside the theater to clean after a movie and discovered the gunshot victims, Corona Police Department Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis told NewsNation affiliate KTLA.
Rylee Goodrich, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene, while Anthony Barajas, 19, was taken to a hospital. He is currently on life support, Kouroubacalis said.
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The Corona residents had attended a 9:35 p.m. viewing of “The Forever Purge” together. The film is the final installment of “The Purge” theatrical series.
Only six tickets were sold for that particular movie, but authorities have not yet been able to interview anyone else who attended the screening. It therefore remains unclear exactly when the victims were shot, Kouroubacalis said.
An extensive search of the theater led to the discovery of evidence, but no gun, Kouroubacalis said. He added that investigators are following up on leads, but he is hoping possibly witnesses can “fill in the blanks.”
“We don’t know what exactly happened in there,” Kouroubacalis said. “We’re still taking a step-by-step process, going through every seat, going through every part of that movie theater to find any kind of evidence we have, and also asking for the public’s help at the same time.”Tampa General urgent care employee stole patients’ credit, personal information
He asked anyone who may have been in the theater at that time, or may have seen anything suspicious, to come forward.
The theater was cordoned off Tuesday morning while police investigated.
A spokesman for Regal, which operates Edwards Theaters, said in a statement that the company is working with law enforcement during the investigation.
“Our primary concern is for the safety and security of our guests and staff,” the statement read.
Goodrich’s cousin, Ashley Cole, says the family is devastated.
“I know my cousin’s character, and she’s a good person and has a good heart and I would have never expected anything like this to happen,” Cole said. “I want everyone to remember Rylee as who she is, that bright, young girl, had so much of a life to live.”
Cole urged whoever killed her cousin to turn themself in and to “understand what they did is affecting a lot of people.”
A GoFundMe page created for Goodrich’s funeral expenses had raised nearly $11,000 as of Tuesday night.
Anyone with further information about the shooting is encouraged to call police at 951-736-2330, option 3, or Senior Detective Dan Neagu at 951-739-4916.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is assisting in the investigation.