We are still processing. As many of you know, on Friday, Aug. 28, there was a shooting outside of the 5 Guys restaurant at The Collection in Oxnard. My 18-year-old nephew, Jonathan Vasquez J.R., was unfortunately hit by a stray bullet from an altercation outside the restaurant while he was working inside. He was rushed to the ICU in critical condition.

Let me tell you a little bit about JJ. He just graduated high school, where he was captain of his football team and a continuous student on the high honors roll. He was starting his very first job while attending Ventura College, learning how to balance working, going to school, and joining the Track team as a thrower. He is a diligent, strong, and smart kid. His heart is made of gold, and he shows kindness to anyone he meets. His laugh, smile and hugs are some of his best qualities!

JJ is a fighter, and he is fighting through this. As you can imagine, there is a long road ahead of us, and we would greatly appreciate any support that we can receive from our community.

My family is asking for you to keep JJ in your thoughts and prayers and some privacy as we try to navigate this horrible tragedy.