Cathedral City family torn apart by gun violence

A study released by the Violence Policy Center shows that homicide is the second leading cause of death for Hispanics ages 15 to 24.

In addition, the study found more than two-thirds of Hispanic murder victims are killed with guns.

Nearly, four years ago, the Mora family was torn apart by gun violence when 16-year-old Yanize Mora was killed by a gunshot wound to the head. The shooting happened near her grandmother’s home in Cathedral City on November 2, 2010. The teen mom was walking towards her grandmother’s home on the 67100 block of Assistencia road, when shots rang out in an apparent drive-by.

“It’s been extremely hard. It seems like it was just yesterday”, says Yanize’s mother, Maria Mora.

Maria says her daughter loved to play soccer and was not involved in gang activity.

“She was not a gang member,she had nothing to do with that, she was just an innocent bystander, they all were, her baby, what did he have to do with it”, says Yanize’s grandmother, Martha Ohly.

Yanize’s 2-month old son was also shot in the violence along with five others. Yanize and 20-year-old Augustine Garcia died that night.

The Mora family says the case remains unsolved and they still have many unanswered questions.

“It’s not right that people can get away with this and I know there’s somebody out there that knows and hopefully somebody has a big heart and they think about it and put themselves in our shoes that it could be somebody they love”, said Ohly.

Jilberto Martinez, a senior pastor at Victory Outreach in Indio, sees a ray of light in all the darkness. He says he turned his life to God after turning away from gangs. He now serves as a mentor counseling gang members willing to make a positive change.

“If we were able to leave the gang, there is a solution for them, and the only way out is through our Lord, Jesus Christ”, says Martinez.

Every year, Victory Outreach puts on the “Silence the Violence” march in the Coachella Valley, hoping to reach out to those on destructive paths to show them there’s another way.

“If there is someone that needs to get out, we are here to counsel and lead them into our recovery homes if they want to leave the city”, said Sal Robledo, Pastor at Victory Outreach.

Pastor Martinez believes the violence in Hispanic communities is a generational curse.

“When I was involved in the gang, I used to do drugs and drink alcohol and that’s what I was teaching my kid”, said Martinez.

The Mora family hopes and prays for justice, hoping someone with information comes forward.

“We are never going to give up, every anniversary, every birthday, we are at the police station, holding posters just let them know that we are still here for her and we want them to remember her, said Maria.

The family plans to hold a vigil this Sunday outside the Cathedral City police department, to honor and remember Yanize on the anniversary of her death.