TikTok Star, 19, Dies Following CA Movie Theater Shooting

CORONA, CA — A 19-year-old man who had been fighting for his life for nearly a week after a shooting inside a Corona movie theater died Saturday of his injuries, police said.

Anthony Barajas, a TikTok star with nearly 1 million followers, was on life support until Saturday morning, the Corona Police Department said in a statement.

Barajas and his friend, 18-year-old Rylee Goodrich of Corona, both sustained gunshots to their heads Monday night while they were watching a movie with four other friends at the Regal Edwards Theater at Corona Crossings. Goodrich was pronounced dead at the scene.

A GoFundMe effort, launched by Barajas' family, had raised $74,352 as of Saturday morning, well over its $30,000 goal.

"Anthony was the light of so many people's lives and there are tough times ahead, but we have amazing family and friends to get through this," family members wrote on the fundraising page. "Please donate for medical funds, etc. Thank you all and anything will help!"

The 20-year-old man suspected of shooting the pair, Joseph Jimenez, was charged with capital murder and attempted murder on Friday.

Following the news of Barajas' death, Corona police on Saturday said they were working with the Riverside County District Attorney's office to add another count of first-degree murder against Jimenez.

Police have not publicly released a possible motive for the deadly event but prosecutors said based on evidence, the shooting appeared to be a "random and unprovoked attack." Police also said that Jimenez did not have any known gang affiliations.

READ MORE: UPDATE: Deadly Shooting Inside Corona Movie Theater

Jimenez, a Corona resident, did not enter a plea at the Riverside Hall of Justice on Friday. He is currently being held in custody without bail, according to Riverside County Superior Court Judge William Lebov, and is scheduled for an arraignment on Aug. 5.

Goodrich's father appeared in court on Friday and was seen confronting Jimenez in a video posted by KABC-TV.

"Look at me. Look at me," he said before bursting into tears as Jimenez was escorted from the courtroom.

Jimenez was arrested around 8 p.m. Tuesday.

"There is no information that the suspect and victims had any prior contact before the shooting," Corona Police Department spokesman Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis said.

Kouroubacalis could not confirm where the suspect and victims were seated in relation to one another and at what point in the film the shooting occurred.

"We're still trying to determine who was in the theater before, during and after," he said.

According to Kouroubacalis, none of the security surveillance cameras in the theater or the shopping center captured the suspect or the shooting.
"There were witnesses who came forward who led us in the direction of the suspect and helped identify him," he said.

A search warrant was served Tuesday night at a residence in the 19000 block of Envoy Avenue, near Diamond Street in El Cerrito, culminating in Jimenez's arrest, as well as the seizure of a handgun, according to Kouroubacalis.

Prosecutors said the handgun is the same caliber as the weapon believed used in the shooting.

Police responded to the theater at 2650 Tucscany Street at around 11:45 p.m. Monday, where the two victims were watching a 9:35 p.m. showing of "The Forever Purge." They attended the movie together, police said.

The "Purge" horror series is based on a plot in which, just once a year, the government allows all crime. The latest sequel involves a story in which "the annual Purge does not stop at daybreak and instead should never end," according to ads for "The Forever Purge."

The Crossings theater was closed Tuesday morning, but the Regal Edwards website showed movie times later in the day. Corona police issued a plea Tuesday morning asking the public to please avoid the theater due to the ongoing investigation.

The Corona Police Department is the lead investigating agency into the shootings, while the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Major Crimes Bureau - Forensic Services is assisting.

The Corona Police Department is asking for help from anyone who was inside the theater, in another movie theater, or in the Crossings shopping center between 9 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call the department's anonymous TIP Line at 951-817-5839 or Senior Detective Slaven Neagu at 951-739-4916 or email him at Slaven.Neagu@CoronaCA.gov.

Patch Editor Toni McAllister and City News Service contributed to this report.

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