Roman P. Gonzalez, a 25-year-old resident of Sacramento, California, tragically lost his life on September 3, 2015. Gonzalez was a student at Sacramento City College and a father of two, who had recently decided to pursue higher education to better his life. On the day of his death, Gonzalez was involved in a violent altercation on the Sacramento City College campus. The incident occurred in a staff parking lot near the softball field, where a fight escalated into a shooting.
Gonzalez was shot and killed, while two other individuals were injured in the incident.
The investigation into Gonzalez's death revealed that the altercation was gang-related. Gonzalez was reportedly a member of the Norteno gang, while the perpetrators, Tevita Kaihea and Charlie Hola, were members of the Tongan Crip street gang. The crime spree that led to Gonzalez's death began earlier that day when Kaihea and Hola stole a car from the 47th Avenue light rail station. They then committed an armed robbery at a Church's Chicken restaurant on Florin Road and shot a South Sacramento resident in the face, who survived the attack. The duo abandoned the stolen car near Sacramento City College and got into a fight with Gonzalez, which ended in his fatal shooting.
The legal proceedings following Gonzalez's death were extensive. Tevita Kaihea and Charlie Hola were both charged with multiple crimes, including murder, attempted murder, robbery, vehicle theft, and being felons in possession of firearms. Kaihea was sentenced to 112 years to life in prison after being found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder, two counts of robbery, vehicle theft, and firearm possession. Hola received a sentence of 48 years and 8 months to life in prison for second-degree murder, two counts of robbery, vehicle theft, and firearm possession. The convictions and sentences were handed down in 2018, three years after the tragic incident.
The case also highlighted concerns about the alert system at Sacramento City College. Students criticized the timeliness of the alerts they received about the shooting, with some reporting that they were not notified until 45 minutes after the incident occurred. This delay in communication raised questions about the effectiveness of the Los Rios warning system and prompted calls for improvements to ensure the safety of students and staff on campus. Despite the tragic loss of Roman Gonzalez, the case brought attention to the need for better safety measures and communication protocols in educational institutions.
