Vigil held for Madera father after Walgreens attack

MADERA, Calif. (KFSN) -- The country of a brutal transgression successful Madera turned into a vigil connected Thursday nighttime arsenic hundreds showed up to mourn Erick Velazquez.

"He was a precise bully man, young man," mourner Lena Cortez said.

Velazquez was a husband, brother, and begetter of 2 young children.

He worked astatine the Madera Walgreens connected Cleveland Avenue, wherever Cortez knew him for his large grin and kindness.

"Every clip I couldn't find something, I would spell inquire him, and helium would ever amusement maine wherever it was at," Cortez said.

Velazquez was 29 erstwhile helium mislaid his beingness connected Monday night.

It was 30 minutes earlier closing erstwhile investigators accidental Narciso Fernandez opened occurrence aft driving astir 80 miles from Pixley.

They judge Fernandez had a "grudge" against large-scale pharmacies.

"For thing similar this to hap to him without adjacent knowing who that different idiosyncratic was and the idiosyncratic not knowing him, it was conscionable devastating to each of us," Cortez said.

The onslaught unfolded successful the bosom of the city, wherever galore are feeling the pain.

For those who did not cognize Velazquez by name, they knew his warmth. Several Walgreens customers person told Action News this week they recognized Velazquez's photo.

"It devastates everybody," Lena's husband, Sam Cortez, said. "He was a pleasant young antheral to speech to. He helped everybody, and we're a close-knit community."

That assemblage has present raised over $50,000 for Velazquez's family.

"Erick's household deserves each penny that they receive," Madera Police Chief Gino Chiaramonte said. "To those 2 children, I anticipation they tin afloat money assemblage and everything. There's not capable wealth that we tin springiness that family."

Prosecutors accidental the attacker astir killed different employees. Walgreens sent grief counselors and enactment unit to the store this week.

Velazquez volition beryllium laid to remainder connected Monday, 1 week aft the onslaught and conscionable miles from the assemblage that loves him truthful much.

"It was that connection," Lena Cortez said. "You conscionable felt that helium could beryllium my son, helium could beryllium my grandson..."

There volition beryllium different fundraiser astatine the Walgreens connected Cleveland Avenue connected Sunday.

The section Elks Lodge volition merchantability luncheon to payment Velazquez's family.

For quality updates, travel Gabe Ferris connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.