The Tahoe Park business community in Sacramento is coming together to support the family and loved ones of Isaiah “Zai” Vasquez, a 21-year-old innocent bystander who was tragically killed in a case of mistaken identity. Last Friday, Vasquez was shot and killed on Gordon Dr. in South Sacramento, as the suspected gunmen believed him and his two cousins to be members of rival gangs. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that 17 shots were fired into the vehicle with the three men inside. Vasquez lost his life, while his cousins sustained multiple gunshot wounds and face a long road to recovery.
The owner of Vision Barber, where Vasquez was a student, expressed his frustration with the senseless violence, emphasizing that it only brings loss and pain. Cisco Chavez called for an end to such targeting, stressing that it is selfish and must be stopped. Vasquez was known for his infectious smile and sense of humor, constantly brightening up the world around him. Tragically, he was about to become a father to a baby girl due in October. In light of this devastating loss, a local business owner named Tara Martinez pledged support for Vasquez’s child and her mother, expressing the community’s willingness to be there for them.
In order to assist Vasquez’s family, particularly the mother of his unborn child, the Vision Barber business community in Tahoe Park, where he worked, has organized a fundraiser on Monday, September 18 from 1 to 8 p.m. The community recognizes that this case of mistaken identity could have happened to anyone, and thus seeks to come together and offer their support. Although the suspect involved in the shooting has been arrested, their identity is yet to be revealed. This story is developed by Madisen Keavy reporting for CBS13.