A 9-year-old boy was fighting for his life Monday following a shooting in his family's Paradise Hills home, according to a GoFundMe page. Five of the boy’s family members died Saturday in what police called a “domestic violence murder-suicide" where a man shot his wife and four children before turning the gun on himself, San Diego's police chief said.
"It was scary for a woman to have to live through something like that," said Karl Albright who organized the GoFundMe page.
Albright is the brother-in-law of 29-year-old Sabrina Rosario and says she and her four boys were shot by their father Jose Valdivia who then took his own life Saturday morning.
"Her boys were her priority 100%, no question," said Albright.
Police received a call Saturday morning in which the dispatcher did not communicate with the caller but heard arguing and dispatched officers to the scene. While police were en route, a relative called and said they heard arguing and what they thought sounded like a nail gun.
When officers arrived no one answered the door, but through a window they saw a child on the floor covered in blood. Police gained access and found six people shot including the 29-year-old woman, a 31-year-old man and four children. The two adults and a 3-year-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
A 5-year-old, 9-year-old and 11-year-old boy were taken to the hospital where two were also pronounced dead and the 9-year-old was taken into emergency surgery.
Police have not identified the victims, but the GoFundMe page and family have identified them as 11-year-old Zeth, 5-year-old Zuriel, 3-year-old Enzi and 9-year-old Ezequiel who is “fighting for his life in intensive care.”
Ezequiel remained in critical condition Monday at Rady Children's Hospital.
"He's been hit so hard that only God's will has kept him here," said Albright.
He said Valdivia started stalking and harassing Rosario when the couple separated about a year ago.
"He made a mistake in the marital relationship, she had made her mind up that it's over and he didn't want to accept that," Albright said.
He said initially the mother of four did not tell her family what was going on but in recent months things got much worse.
"He sent her a bunch of texts: 'I'm going to come over and kill myself in front of you guys or I'm going to kill you and then kill myself,'" Albright said. "It had been said so much she had almost become numb to it - it was scary."
Family members urged Rosario to get a restraining order, which she did the day before. She and three of her children were killed.
"They were happy, fun-loving," said Albright. "They were well raised. They were very good kids and she was the mother you wish you had."
The family said Sunday they are praying for Ezequiel to pull through.
"We're praying he'll be allowed to stay," Albright said. "If not, he'll be back with his family."
According to police, the mother and four children lived in the attached home, while relatives live in the main house on the property.
Police say they responded to the residence on November 1 for a dispute about property.
"My heart goes out to the family and friends," San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit said, describing the crime as a "senseless tragedy."
The chief said the police department receives about 50 domestic violence calls a day and said victims shouldn't be afraid to call the police for help.
Referring to Saturday's deaths, Nisleit said "these are the toughest calls we respond to. It greatly affects these responding officers."