O’Farrell Charter School Shootings Revealed
There is a new chapter to the story of two O’Farrell high school students who were killed. The San Diego teenagers were found shot at point-blank range in Tijuana on Sunday, March 3. Authorities have not yet identified the suspects. They are said to have tortured the victims, then shot them to death at an execution style.
The bodies of Christopher Alexis Gomez and Juan Suarez-Ojeda were found outside an apartment complex in Tijuana. Police are continuing to investigate the shootings. Family members are frantically searching for their loved ones.
Gomez was a senior at O’Farrell Charter High School. He was a good student who always had a smile on his face. During lunch, Gomez hung out with his basketball team, according to John Van Houten, who taught at the school. Upon learning of the shooting, the O’Farrell administration asked the school to lock down. It was locked down at around 3:14 p.m.
A GoFundMe was set up by O’Farrell faculty to support the families of both victims. Pictures of the victims were posted on Snapchat. One picture shows a girl with a backpack being dragged by a group of girls. Another photo depicts two girls punching the same woman.
According to reports, the two victims were friends. Their cousins, Johanna Mejia and Angel Said Robles, are high schoolers in Tijuana. Several of their siblings attend O’Farrell, as well. But, their parents have not yet spoken publicly about their deaths.
Gomez was a basketball fan who played in the O’Farrell basketball team. His uncle confirmed his identity at the morgue. He attended O’Farrell as a sixth grader, and his younger brother still goes there.
When the murders were discovered, O’Farrell officials were devastated. Dean worked at the school for more than a decade. In June, he was terminated without cause. Previously, he was seeking $250,000 in compensation through private arbitration.
While the case remains under investigation, the O’Farrell administration continues to communicate with students and their parents. The school is now a National AVID Demonstration School. Its student-teacher ratio is one-to-one. Students are encouraged to take notes, participate in organized activities, and be proactive.
In the aftermath of the shootings, several community members have gathered to help the family of the victims. One family, the Garcias, set up a GoFundMe site to help their relatives.
As of early this week, the FBI was monitoring the situation in San Diego. Mexican authorities are also examining the incident. Some officials have said that the shootings were a “mistake” or a “reckless act.” Other officials haven’t commented on the motive.
In the meantime, the O’Farrell Board of Directors is meeting in closed door sessions. The minutes of these meetings haven’t been approved yet. Although the school has a $20 million budget, nearly all of it comes from taxpayers.
In the months since the shooting, O’Farrell has spent at least $60,000 in legal fees. The school does not have to disclose the settlement until it’s actually reached, unless the board is notified.