TikTok star dies from injuries after California movie theater shooting

TikTok star Anthony Barajas, the second person shot in Monday evening’s shooting at a California movie theater, died Saturday after days in the hospital, police announced. 

The Corona Police Department said in a statement that they had been informed the 19-year-old “passed away early this morning.” 

“We extend our thoughts and condolences to his family and friends,” the department added. 

Barajas and 18-year-old Rylee Goodrich were found with gunshot wounds by Corona police at a Regal Cinemas theater in the city located about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Goodrich was pronounced dead at the scene, while Barajas had been taken to the hospital with “life-threatening injuries,” police said at the time. 

The police department said Saturday that it was working with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office to add an additional count of first-degree murder against 20-year-old Joseph Jimenez, who had already been arrested in connection with the shooting. 

Police on Wednesday announced that they had charged Jimenez with murder, attempted murder and robbery, with bail set at $2 million, though a judge on Friday ordered the defendant to be held without bail. 

Authorities have said that there appears to have been no clear motive for the attack, explaining that they believed it was “unprovoked.” 

Barajas and Goodrich had gone to the theater together to attend an evening screening of “The Forever Purge,” the fifth installment of the “Purge” film franchise that depicts stories of a dystopian future in which the country holds an annual ritual when all crime is legal for a 12-hour period. 

Barajas, who went by the username @itsanthonymichael on social media, had almost 1 million followers on TikTok and more than 53,000 on Instagram. 

His most recent posts on both platforms were shared on July 23 and showed moments from Barajas’ vacation trip to Hawaii with his family. 

Some of his followers on the platforms had posted messages of support for Barajas this week as he remained in the hospital, including comments on Instagram from friends and fellow social media stars calling the young adult “one of the nicest, kindest and funny guys ive ever met.” 

“You’re gonna get through this,” others wrote.