2 Arrested In Massacre Of 6 California Family Members

GOSHEN, CA — Two gang members have been arrested in connection with the deaths of six people in Goshen, including a 10 month old baby, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux announced at a news conference Friday.

The sheriff announced that Angel Uriate, 35, of Visalia, and Noah Beard, 25, of Goshen have been arrested in connection with the killings.

Beard was taken into custody without incident while Uriate engaged in a gun battle with ATF agents, Boudreaux said. Uriate was struck and taken to the hospital for surgery and is expected to survive, the sheriff added.

Calling the events leading up to the arrests early Friday morning, which the sheriff called "Operation Nightmare," Boudreaux described the execution of three search warrants beginning at 6 a.m. in three separate locations.

"This family was targeted by cold blooded killers," Boudreaux said.

Boudreaux explained that the suspects were under constant surveillance before their arrests.

"We knew every move they were making [and] the public was not at risk, [but] we didn't have enough evidence as yet to make arrests and wanted DA to feel comfortable ... Once we had DNA information we jumped," Boudreaux said. "In the beginning I mentioned a cartel - like shooting, which is exactly what it appears to be."

Boudreaux confirmed that two members of the victims' family were members of the Surenos gang and the two suspects are members of the Nortenos gang. The two gangs are believed to be rivals, but the motive is still unclear, according to Boudreaux.

Investigators seized guns and drugs at the home days before gunmen killed the family including an infant and sleeping grandmother.

Six people were killed in the shooting on Monday, Jan.16 at the Central California home.

The victims were identified as Rosa Parraz, 72, Eladio Parraz, Jr., 52, Jennifer Analla, 49, Marcos Parraz, 19, Alissa Parraz, 16, and Nycholas Parraz, 10 months.

Alissa Parraz was killed as she ran from the house and jumped over the fence with her baby in her arms, Boudreaux said. The young mother and child were found shot to death in the street.

Jennifer Analla was killed in her sleep and Rosa Parraz was found kneeling. Authorities believe Rosa Parraz was getting out of bed to see what was going on when she was killed.

The sheriff has said Alissa Parraz 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 shootings were the first of three mass killings in California in January. Less than a week later, on Jan.21, a gunman opened fire following a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park, killing 11 people before turning the gun on himself. A second mass shooting in Half Moon Bay in Northern California on Jan.23 left seven people dead in an act of suspected workplace violence.

The Associated Press contributed to the report.