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Gun Violence:Youth Pastor Fatally Shot and Killed

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Gun Violence in our communities must come to an end, too many innocent people are loosing their lives!


Youth pastor Daniel Diaz, 33, was driving home from a church party with friends when he was shot and killed by an unidentified assailant in Pomona, Calif.

The shooting occurred just hours after a peace and prayer rally was held by community leaders against gun violence.

Diaz, a youth minister at New Beginning Community Ministries Church in Baldwin Park, was much beloved in his community, who gathered on Tuesday night at a memorial vigil for him.

His mother tearfully said, “To the person who did this, if I could see you face to face, I would tell you that God loves you. And if you knew my son, my son would have loved you.”

His girlfriend, Denise Lugo, said, “Daniel was wonderful. I loved him very much. I’m just brokenhearted, right now. I hurt so bad.”

Hundreds of people gathered in Pomona Tuesday night to mourn the loss of a beloved youth minister who was gunned down after leaving a birthday party.

At-risk boys who he mentored were distraught, saying Diaz had been an inspiration.

“He was like a big brother to me,” friend Raymond Yiniquez said through tears. “He was always there for me every time I needed him. I’m just really going to miss him.”

“I just saw him fighting for his life, gasping his last breath,” said Reyes, who said he tried to help his friend before emergency services responded. Diaz was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he died shortly after 1 a.m.

“My son was an incredible young man and he helped a lot of people,” father David Diaz said.

A motive has not yet been released, and CBS Los Angeles reported that the police have no suspects.
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