SAN JACINTO, Calif. – Horrifying video shows a gunman randomly firing at passing motorists in Southern California Monday morning, killing a father of four and wounding a second man, according to reports.
The maniac gunman was identified as 39-year-old Julio Cesar Rodarte. He is captured on video about 6:30 a.m. randomly shooting at passing vehicles on State Street in San Jacinto, according to law enforcement authorities, KTLA reported.
Video obtained by local news outlets shows Rodarte walking down the sidewalk in front of a car wash with a handgun elevated in a shooting position as he opens fire on passing motorists. While indiscriminately firing, he empties a magazine and tosses it aside, the footage shows.
Next, the gunman removed his shirt and shoes, eventually stripping down completely, according to a witness.
A man killed by the gunman was identified as 43-year-old Victor Hugo Leon, according to a press release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities said a second man was wounded and several cars were damaged due to the gunfire. The second victim remains hospitalized and his medical condition is unclear.
Responding deputies located Rodarte and he was taken into custody. He was later booked at the Larry Smith Correctional Facility for murder as well as ten counts of attempted murder, the sheriff’s department said.
Griselda Zepeda had been married to Leon for 13 years. She began feeling like something horrible had occurred once he didn’t return home from his overnight shift at a warehouse. She was devastated when she learned her husband was murdered just minutes from their residence.
“He was a very lovable person,” Zepeda told KTLA. “He leaves us very broken. He had that mean face, but he was such a sweetheart, always doing his best for his family.”
“I don’t know what was going through his mind, the last breath he took,” Zepeda said. “It hurts me so much.”
Prior to the shooting rampage, Rodarte reportedly stopped at a local store to make a purchase, but didn’t have enough money. The clerk described him as “nervous and sweaty,” according to ABC 7.
Moments later, for reasons unknown, Rodarte began to randomly shoot at passing vehicles, the sheriff’s department said.
Enrique Tores owns the business with a surveillance system that captured the suspect randomly shooting. He told ABC 7 that he heard about 30 shots and saw the gunman dump the magazine and the weapon before stripping down.
“He was completely naked, and he just kept walking. And that’s when they called the cops,” Tores said.
According to the New York Post, Leon’s wife launched a GoFundMe page to help cover the funeral costs and has raised more than $40,000.
