On February 28, 2022, a tragic incident occurred in Sacramento, California, resulting in the death of 9-year-old Samarah Mora Gutierrez, along with her sisters, Samantha Mora Gutierrez, 10, and Samia Mora Gutierrez, 13. The girls were killed by their father, David Mora Rojas, during a supervised visit at The Church in Sacramento. The visit was being supervised by Nathaniel Kong, 59, who was also killed in the incident.
David Mora Rojas then turned the gun on himself, ending his own life.
The incident took place in the church's sanctuary, where David Mora had been living as part of an arrangement with the church. The girls' mother, Illeana Gutierrez Rios, had previously sought a domestic violence restraining order against Mora due to his history of mental instability and abusive behavior. Court documents revealed that Mora had threatened to kill her and had been hospitalized for expressing suicidal thoughts. Despite the restraining order, which prohibited him from possessing firearms, Mora managed to obtain a gun and carry out the attack.
In the days leading up to the shooting, Mora had been arrested in Merced County on charges of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer, and driving under the influence. He was out on bail at the time of the killings. The restraining order allowed Mora to have supervised visits with his daughters, which were to be conducted with a mutually agreed-upon chaperone. Nathaniel Kong, a church executive, was serving as the chaperone during the fatal visit.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department launched an investigation into how Mora obtained the firearm despite the restraining order. The church community and the victims' family were left devastated by the senseless tragedy. The church issued a statement expressing their shock and heartbreak, and the community rallied to support the grieving family.
This tragic event highlighted the severe consequences of domestic violence and the challenges in enforcing restraining orders to protect vulnerable individuals. The investigation into the incident aimed to uncover any lapses in the system that allowed Mora to access a weapon and carry out the attack, despite the legal measures in place to prevent such an outcome.
