NORTHEDGE, Calif. -- Two young people were killed Friday night when a gunman opened fire during a crowded private party at a strip mall venue less than a mile from the campus of California State University, Northridge.
Two people were killed Friday night after a gunman opened fire during a private party at a strip mall venue near Cal State Northridge. The victims, 19-year-old Kimberly Pastor and 18-year-old Jaydin Lewis, have been identified. Police are searching for the suspect.
NORTHEDGE, Calif. -- Two young people were killed Friday night when a gunman opened fire during a crowded private party at a strip mall venue less than a mile from the campus of California State University, Northridge.
The victims have been identified as Kimberly Pastor, 19, the mother of a 2-year-old child, and Jaydin Lewis, 18, according to LAPD and family sources.
Officers responded to a call of a "loud party" at the University Plaza shopping center on the 18000 block of Nordhoff Street near Reseda Boulevard at 11:05 p.m. on Oct. 2. When they arrived, police found approximately 100 to 200 people gathered at the event, which was being held on the second floor of the strip mall at a venue called Artist Lounge.
According to LAPD, officers were in the process of contacting the organizer and attempting to shut down the party when they heard several gunshots. In the chaos that followed, police found two victims with gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
A vigil held Sunday, Oct. 4, at the venue where the tragedy occurred drew members of the victims' families and friends. Pastor Adin Aguilon, who led the service, told the gathering: "When tragedy happens, we have a choice. We can call to hate to divide us, or we can call to love to bring us together."
Mildred Pastor, Kimberly's mother, spoke about her daughter's dreams during the vigil. "She was a student, and her grades were really good. She was gonna go to university out here, or she was gonna join the military," Mildred said. She shared that her daughter left behind an almost 2-year-old son. "The baby yesterday was sleeping, and when I went to tell the other grandma what happened the baby was asking, 'Mamí! Mamí!'"
In her GoFundMe statement, Mildred Pastor wrote: "She also leaves behind her 2-year-old son, who now has to grow up without his mother. Kimberly was a young mother with so much life ahead of her. She was attending school, loved reading books, and was working toward building a better future for herself and her son."
Lewis's family wrote in their GoFundMe statement: "He was a beloved twin, brother, grandson, and nephew who brought joy to everyone around him. Our family is heartbroken by this sudden loss."
Friends described the victims as kind young people caught in a deadly act of violence. KC Martinez, a friend of the victims, said the killings have shaken the local artist community. "It's just crazy that someone you say hi to, occasionally see, is gone," Martinez said.
Artist Lounge founder Irene Ajemyan-Lake said Los Angeles police officers were already at the venue responding to a complaint and preparing to shut down the event when the shooting occurred. "The police came because of a complaint, and we were already ending the event at that time. Just as that was happening, the gunshot went off," Ajemyan-Lake said. She added, "We all have a responsibility to keep people safe. We failed them. These kids did not deserve that."
Ajemyan-Lake urged the shooter to turn himself in. "Whoever came in here had bad intentions and took their life," she said.
Police evacuated more than 100 attendees from the venue one by one. Several people, who appeared to be minors, were detained and placed in zip ties in the parking lot until cleared by investigators, before being picked up by their parents.
No arrests have been made as of Monday. A motive for the shooting remains unclear. Police are searching for one suspect in connection with the deadly double homicide. Detectives are reviewing security footage from nearby businesses and interviewing party attendees to establish the circumstances of the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division's Valley Bureau Section at 818-374-9550. On weekends or outside normal business hours, calls can be directed to 310-726-7700 or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3427). Those wishing to remain anonymous can call L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
This article was generated with AI assistance.