A California high school senior bravely shielded his little sister from gunfire after shots rang out at his graduation ceremony, his family said.
Jamario Baker, 18, had just received his diploma from Sem Yeto Continuation High School around 7.15pm on Wednesday at Schafer Stadium in Fairfield when chaos broke out in the parking lot.
As bullets flew, Baker immediately protected his 11-year-old sister, according to his Great Aunt, Mary Jones.
Baker died and three others, aged 11, 20 and 25, were injured. The suspect, or suspects behind the shooting remain on the run, the Fairfield Police Department said.
Jones took to Facebook on Friday sharing a heartbreaking picture of Baker dressed in a blue cap and gown as he posed with his father, Roderick.
‘Prayers much needed for my Brother Roderick and family. You may of heard about the shooting in Fairfield after a graduation ceremony.
‘That was my Great Nephew that was shot and killed. Rest in Heaven Jamario. He was protecting his 11 year old sister when he was shot,’ Jones wrote.
Dramatic video taken at the scene showed people rushing over to someone on the pavement as bullets rang out.
A couple of cars parked in the lot were also hit by gunfire, leaving holes in the vehicles.
Authorities also confirmed Baker as the victim, stating that the investigation into the fatal incident remains under investigation, and ‘there are currently no suspects in custody.’
The agency has urged the public to come forward if they have any information on the deadly shooting, or if they have video footage of it.
Approximately 1,000 people were in attendance, police said.
Just days after violence took over what was supposed to be a joyous moment, locals gathered at Fairfield Civic Center Park for a community healing circle.
The gathering helped people comfort each other during this intense time of grief.
During the event, Nikila Walker Gibson, the president of the Tri-City NAACP, said: ‘The question before is what do we do now, where do we go from here?
‘Do we become more divided, do we retreat from one another, do we allow the fear to define the story of our city or do we choose something different?’
Ebony Antoine, the founder of the non-profit organization Broken by Violence, also came out to support her community.
She told CBS News: ‘Who’s going to pay for the final preparations, who’s going to pay for the mental health, is there going to be justice?’
Antoine, who lost her brother and husband to gun violence just 90 days apart, said the community has to identify the core issues that contribute to crime so they can prevent it from happening.
‘It’s no secret, we understand where the crime comes from. When we know what the problem is, we can respond ahead of time and save lives,’ she told the outlet.
The three injured victims remain in stable condition and are recovering, police said.
Following the shooting, the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District released a statement to the community.
‘As our community woke up this morning, many of us are still processing the events that unfolded following the Sem Yeto High School graduation ceremony yesterday evening.
‘What should have been a joyful celebration of our graduates was overshadowed by an act of violence that has left students, families, staff, and community members feeling shaken and heartbroken,’ Jennifer Sachs, the superintendent, said.
She added: ‘We recognize that incidents like this can create feelings of fear, uncertainty, sadness, and anger.
‘We wanted to reiterate what the Fairfield Police Department has shared with us, that there is no indication of an ongoing threat to our schools or the community.
‘Today, our focus is on supporting our students, staff, and families as they process what occurred. Caring educators and mental health support is available at our sites. We encourage anyone who needs support to reach out to their schools.’
The Daily Mail contacted the Fairfield Police Department and the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District for comment.
