Desiderio “Desi” Romero V, an 18-year-old male also known to friends and relatives as “Pepper,” was killed on the night of July 25, 2026, during a mass shooting at a large birthday party in an unincorporated area near Morgan Hill, California. Although some online listings initially reported Romero as 19, an obituary records his birth date as December 7, 2007, making him 18 when he died.
Family members identified Romero after the shooting and remembered him as a deeply loved son, brother, grandson, cousin and friend. He was a San Jose resident, according to obituary information.
The gathering was a birthday party associated with Bay Area livestreamer NateDeBaiits and drew more than 300 people. Authorities described it as an unsanctioned event. Shortly after 10:15 p.m., Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the vicinity of Hale Avenue and Miramonte Avenue after receiving reports involving intoxicated people in the roadway and someone throwing bottles at passing vehicles. By the time deputies arrived, the situation had deteriorated dramatically. Gunfire had erupted, and hundreds of people were rushing away from the area, creating what authorities described as a chaotic scene.
Romero was among seven people struck by gunfire. Deputies and emergency personnel found multiple shooting victims requiring immediate medical assistance, but Romero could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene. Six other people were wounded and transported for treatment. Their injuries ranged in severity, but authorities later reported that all six surviving victims had been released from hospitals within the following days. Investigators have not publicly indicated that Romero was specifically targeted, and the precise circumstances that led to the shooting have remained under investigation.
In the aftermath, Romero’s family and friends struggled to understand how a birthday celebration attended by hundreds of young people had ended in his death. Loved ones described him as someone whose presence and affection had made an enduring impression on those around him. Friends gathered for a candlelight vigil, while a fundraising campaign was established to help his family with funeral expenses. The streamer who hosted the birthday gathering said Romero had been his classmate and friend and expressed grief over his death.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office opened a homicide investigation, initially saying investigators were attempting to determine whether the gunfire came from a single shooter or multiple shooters. Despite the enormous number of potential witnesses, authorities did not immediately identify a gunman. Investigators began collecting witness statements, photographs, recordings and other digital evidence in an effort to reconstruct the moments before, during and after the shooting. The Sheriff’s Office characterized the investigation as lengthy and complex because of the size of the gathering and the volume of evidence involved.
By early August, the FBI had joined the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office investigation. Federal authorities offered a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person or people responsible. Investigators emphasized that more than 300 people had attended the gathering and publicly appealed for anyone possessing even brief recordings, photographs, social-media material or knowledge of conversations connected to the shooting to come forward. Romero’s mother also made a public plea for witnesses to provide investigators with what they knew so that her family could receive answers and justice.
As of August 11, 2026, authorities had not publicly announced an arrest, identified a suspect by name, or filed charges in Romero’s killing. The FBI and Sheriff’s Office were still seeking information capable of identifying and apprehending the shooter or shooters, meaning there had been no reported criminal trial or conviction connected to his death. The case remained an active homicide investigation, with investigators relying heavily on the large number of witnesses and the substantial amount of potential digital evidence generated during the party to determine who opened fire and why.
