A suspect has been arrested in the “unprovoked” shooting that killed an 18-year-old woman and badly injured another teenager who were found with gunshot wounds at a Corona movie theater, police said Wednesday.
Joseph Jimenez, 20, of Corona was arrested Tuesday night at his home in the 19000 block of Envoy Avenue in the unincorporated El Cerrito area, according to the Corona Police Department.
Police said they found a firearm that matched the caliber of the weapon used in the killing and other evidence at his home.
The shooting was reported about 11:45 p.m. Monday at the Edwards Theater at a shopping center located at 2650 Tuscany St.
The gunshot victims were only discovered when workers went inside the theater to clean after the movie screening, Corona police Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis told KTLA.
Rylee Goodrich, 18, was pronounced dead at the scene and Anthony Barajas, 19, was taken to a hospital and placed on life support. He was still in critical condition Wednesday.
Police said the suspect and the victims had no prior contact before the shooting.
“We do not have a motive for this heinous, unprovoked crime,” Kouroubacalis said in a Wednesday news conference.
The two friends had been attending a 9:35 p.m. viewing of “The Forever Purge” together. They were discovered with gunshot wounds in or near their theater seats, according to Kouroubacalis.
Only six tickets were sold for that viewing, but it’s still unclear who else was in the theater when the shooting happened.
Jimenez had a ticket for the movie, police said.
During the investigation Tuesday, police told KTLA they had not yet been able to interview anyone else who attended the screening, making it difficult to figure out exactly when the victims were shot.
On Wednesday, investigators still weren’t sure at what point the two friends were shot and why no one heard anything. The cameras in the theater weren’t recording at the time of the shooting, Kouroubacalis said.
Police said there was a witness who came forward and provided investigators with information that “led us in the direction of the suspect.” Officials didn’t specify whether that witness was in the theater at the time of the shooting.
Jimenez was booked on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and robbery. He was booked at Riverside Presley Detention Center on a $2 million bail.
A GoFundMe page created for Goodrich’s funeral expenses had raised more than $23,000 Wednesday afternoon. Another GoFundMe for Barajas raised more than $28,000 for medical expenses.
“Words seem inadequate to express the sorrow felt by the loss of Rylee,” the fundraising page reads. “Her kindness, and gentle spirit will be remembered forever.”
The Police Department asked anyone who was inside the theater or in the area between 9 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. to reach out with any information. Police can be reached at 951-736-2330, option 3. Callers can also reach out to Senior Detective Dan Neagu at 951-739-4916.