3rd deadly shooting outside of Sacramento bar in six months
SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento saw its third deadly shooting outside of a bar or nightclub in the last six months over the weekend. For families who have lost a loved one to gun violence, promises made back in April haven't come to fruition.
On April 3, six people were shot and killed outside of a Sacramento nightclub on 10th and K Streets in a gang-involved shooting. It was the worst mass shooting in the city's history. Hours after multiple city blocks were closed for the investigation, Sacramento Mayor Darryl Steinberg and other City Council Members spoke to the public and media about the changes. They said at the time that there would be solutions for the "sickness" that is gun violence not just in Sacramento, but across the country.
By July, another shooting outside of Mix Nightclub had areas of the city back on edge. One person, Gregory Najee Grimes, 31, was shot and killed.
Then, this weekend, there was a shooting outside of Barwest in Midtown Sacramento near 28th and J Streets.
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It's not just shootings outside of bars or nightclubs, as Anita Razo knows all too well. Her son, Giovanni "DJ Gio" Pizano, was killed outside of his Natomas home in April alongside another man. It happened a week after the downtown shooting, and Razo says every time she sees another headline about a shooting in Sacramento her heart breaks all over again.
"I don't remember there being as many shootings as there have been in the last few months," said Razo.
She spoke to CBS13 at her son's gravesite where she said she comes every day if she can. She says she plays his music and favorite songs because she knows he would like it. This is a reality she said she never wanted to know, and now that she does, wants to be active for change.
"It brings everything back, it brings the actual scene, of myself seeing my son lying on the ground, fighting for his life, not being able to survive the number of bullets that were taken…that were shot at him," said Razo.
She said even over the weekend, to learn that another local family will have to bury their son like she did, was her reminder to speak out to prevent future deaths from gun violence locally.
CBS13 asked if she felt the promises she's heard from city leaders have come to fruition as a way to prevent future deaths.
"I understand they have a hard job to do, I also understand it can't just be them, but I just don't feel they're doing enough," said Razo.
Mayor Darryl Steinberg was unavailable for an interview on the subject Monday. Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, who represents Midtown as part of her district, was unavailable for an on-camera interview on the subject and directed CBS13 to a statement tweeted Sunday.
Community advocate Berry Accius told CBS13 there have been "minimal" changes since the April mass shooting. He said he had originally been hopeful about promises for more funding for youth programs and programs to prevent gun violence. But now, standing outside of another bar struck by gun violence, he's not convinced there's been significant change.
"In April when we were here before, the promises that were being made, unfortunately, it hasn't activated to the top of change that I thought It would've been," said Accius.
He added that while he knows none of the solutions would've been a quick fix, something is better than nothing.
On Monday, Sacramento police announced a suspect was arrested in Yolo County by the Regional SWAT Team. Michael Escobar, 23, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He'll make his first appearance in court this week on the charges.
The Sacramento County Coroner's Office has identified the man killed in this weekend's shooting as 34-year-old Elk Grove resident Alfonso Martinez, Jr.
