Drug Cartel Behind Central California Massacre Of Six, Including Mom And Baby: Sheriff

Police They now believe in a drug cartel The was behind shooting Six people were killed by this in Central CaliforniaThe family includes a 6-month old baby and her 17 year-old mother.

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office told KFSN reports that the shooting happened in Goshen shortly after 3:30 a.m., and that residents who called 9-1-1 assumed there was an active gunman in the area due to the amount of shots heard. Mike Boudreaux, Tulare County Sheriff told the Los Angeles Times This crime is most likely a targeted attack.

“I think it’s specifically connected to the cartel,” Boudreaux stated this to the outlet. “The level of violence … this was not your run-of-the-mill low-end gang member.”

“If [they] are specifically shooting everyone in the head, they know what they are doing … [and] they are comfortable with what they are doing,” The sheriff was added.

While the identities and ages of the victims are not available, authorities informed the Times that some victims appeared to be relatives.

Boudreaux also told the outlet that a sheriff’s deputy found the youngest victim, the 6-month-old baby, was found cradled in her 17-year-old mother’s arms in a ditch outside of the home where the massacre occurred. Both were shot in the head.

An elderly woman was the third victim and appeared to be the third. “shot in her sleep,” Boudreaux said. Three men were also shot to death, one of which was alive at the time deputies arrived. He died later in hospital. One of the victims was severely injured by the weapons used in the attack, so DNA testing will be required to identify him.

According to the Times, two women were able to escape the attack by hiding inside a trailer house. Police were told that they saw the shooters approach via surveillance cameras.

“They could see two men sneaking onto the property … but by the time they came on [the video feed], it was too late to do anything,” Boudreaux said.

Eddie Valero, county supervisor, said that the deaths were “everyone’s worst nightmare.”

“These senseless acts of violence, especially with infants, children and young adults, have no place in our communities,” Valero stated this in a statement to The Times.

Police said that they believed there were two shooters, and that the incident was connected to gang activity. The Visalia Times Delta reports that authorities continue to look for clues to the motive behind the shooting. reported. One week earlier, a search warrant was issued for the house. Police were looking for narcotics. Boudreaux stated to the Times that a man had been arrested during the search. He also said that guns, methamphetamine, and marijuana were seized.

Tulare County is known for its drug trafficking activities. Cartels transport drugs from Mexico and Tulare to the United States. Jose Maria Guizar Valencia, former leader of the Zetas cartel, was born in Tulare, while others involved in Mexico’s drug wars have been tied to the county as well, the Times reported.