San Diego community rallies behind family of couple killed in downtown shooting
Nov 22, 2024
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The San Diego community continues to come together for the grieving families of a couple who was tragically shot and killed last week.
Dozens of people showed up to Memorial Park in Logan Heights Friday night to offer their support for the victims’ families.
Those close to Rachael Martinez and her husband Jose Medina still are coming to terms with their loss. The two were shot and killed inside their car near the downtown San Diego courthouse by a man they sought a restraining order against.
“We had a game that night before this tragedy happened the next day. His dad was out there handing us all bags of apples. Nice guy," shared Johnny Banuelos, one of the coaches with the San Diego American Memorial Park Little League.
One of the boys on his team is now navigating life without his parents. The child and his three siblings range in age from 3 to 15.
Word of the fundraiser brought people from all walks of life, filling their plates and trying to help fill a void left by two loving parents.
"What do you do as a coach, you know how could you help out? This is one of those things where I feel that the community comes together and our league we can try to make a difference," Banuelos said.
The turnout also served as a powerful reminder of the kindness that exists.
"Seeing the community come together for someone that they might not know and someone that I’ve only known since August and people have only known since August is pretty amazing," said Carmen Rodriguez, a parent with SDA Memorial Park Little League.
Some who knew the victims are managing the weight of grief by remembering the good.
"He was like the biggest ball of joy that we had on our job site, and he always cheered everybody up and it was like a family," said Landon Hubbard who worked with Medina doing construction.
The family of the two victims killed have also set up a GoFundMe which states that all proceeds will go to the couple’s children.