A Year Later: Gilroy Community Continues to Recover After Garlic Festival Shooting

It has been a year of heartache and healing since the deadly shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.

Here are stories about the people most affected by the tragedy, the heroes, and the lessons learned. We'll continue to update this page with new stories during our coverage showing how the Gilroy community is recovering from the tragedy.

Rising Together: Gilroy Holds Memorial Year After Garlic Festival Shooting

The Gilroy community gathered Tuesday one year after the Garlic Festival shooting to remember the lives lost, honor survivors and recognize heroes. Damian Trujillo has more in the video report below.

The Gilroy community gathered at Christmas Hill Park on Tuesday one year after the deadly Garlic Festival shooting. Damian Trujillo reports.

#GilroyStrong Flag Raised at Christmas Hill Park

On the first anniversary of the deadly mass shooting, a #GilroyStrong flag was raised at Christmas Hill Park, the site of the tragedy. "This flag represents our collective spirit and desire to rise above senseless acts of violence," Gilroy Mayor Roland Velasco said during the flag-raising ceremony.

On the anniversary of the deadly mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, a #GilroyStrong flag was raised at the site of the tragedy.

Festival Volunteer Risked Life to Help Others

“I know I couldn’t have helped stop what was going on, but I could help the people get out."

Willie Maquinalez, Gilroy Garlic Festival volunteer

When so many people ran for safety when the shooting started, festival volunteer Willie Maquinalez ran toward the danger, risking his life to help those in need. 

During the mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, longtime volunteer Willie Maquinalez decided to run toward the chaos when so many ran for safety.

Residents Come Together in Remembrance Nearly One Year After Shooting

Community members gathered for a show of support Sunday on what would have been the final night of this year’s festival had it not been canceled due to the pandemic. More from Marianne Favro here.

Getty Images

Good Deed After Shooting Comes Back to Help Local Business in Its Time Of Need

In the aftermath of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, Michele Pierson wanted to help her community. She did just that by printing #GilroyStrong T-shirts. She knew her neighbors appreciated her efforts, but not until the COVID-19 pandemic threatened her business did she realize that the goodwill she created was coming back to help her. Garvin Thomas has the story.


Gilroy Mayor Reflects on Painful Year After Garlic Festival Shooting

Tuesday marks a year since the Gilroy Garlic Festival mass shooting, violence that has forever changed that tight-night city. Raj Mathai spoke to Mayor Roland Velasco at the very site of the shooting as he reflects on the painful year it’s been and the path forward.

Tuesday marks a year since the Gilroy Garlic Festival mass shooting, violence that has forever changed that tight-knit city. Raj Mathai spoke to Mayor Roland Velasco at the very site of the shooting as he reflects on the painful year it’s been and the path forward.

Foundation Creates Guidebook for Tragedy

“I’m glad we’re doing this, we needed to do it, and maybe it’s healing for us as well."

Donna Pray, Gilroy Foundation Executive Director

In the hours, days and months following the mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in July 2019, the Gilroy foundation sprang into action, raising over a million dollars to help those affected by the tragedy.

Now, with the foundation’s work to help local victims winding down, the focus is on a guidebook that its creators hope won’t ever need to be used: a book aimed at helping the next city after the next shooting or tragedy. Watch the story from Ian Cull here.


Family Plans Mural to Honor Garlic Festival Shooting Victim

Keyla Salazar's family says the deadly mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival feels like it happened yesterday. There are now plans to honor the girl's life a year after the tragedy. Damian Trujillo has the story here.

tlmd-Keyla-Salazar

Survivors Continue to Move Forward

"Live life and enjoy it."

Candice Marquez, Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting survivor

For witnesses of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, getting back to normal has been a long process. Many businesses were at the festival and for one of them, it has been an incredibly difficult and emotional past year. Ian Cull shares their story here.

For witnesses of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, getting back to normal has been a long process. Ian Cull reports.

As the one-year mark since the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting approaches, it’s not just first responders who are honored as heroes of that tragic day, but some of the many people who stepped up to help. That includes Diana Pena who lives just a few blocks from Christmas Hill Park and who opened her home to several people who were running from gunfire.

As the one-year mark since the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting approaches, it’s not just first responders who are honored as heroes of that tragic day, but some of the many people who stepped up to help. That includes Diana Pena who lives just a few blocks from Christmas Hill Park and who opened her home to several people who were running from gunfire.

This year's Garlic Festival would have been ending Sunday night had it not been for the pandemic. The Gilroy community was hoping the 2020 festival would be a big part of the healing process – but now it will have to wait until 2021. NBC Bay Area’s Terry McSweeney spoke with the president of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, Tom Cline, about overseeing the next festival.

This year's Garlic Festival would have been ending Sunday night had it not been for the pandemic. The Gilroy community was hoping the 2020 festival would be a big part of the healing process – but now it will have to wait until 2021. NBC Bay Area’s Terry McSweeney spoke with the president of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, Tom Cline, about overseeing the next festival.

Gilroy community members traumatized by the violence at last year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting are finding help through equine therapy through a nonprofit organization in Gilroy. “A lot of them don’t want to go outdoors after the shooting…but coming to the ranch, with the horses there in a secluded setting…they feel safe there,” one organizer said.

Gilroy community members traumatized by the violence at last year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting are finding help through equine therapy through a nonprofit organization in Gilroy. “A lot of them don’t want to go outdoors after the shooting…but coming to the ranch, with the horses there in a secluded setting…they feel safe there,” one organizer said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom Remembers Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting With Message

On the first anniversary of the deadly shooting, California Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted to remember the people who lost their lives that evening. In addition, he voiced his discontent with gun reforms currently in place.

Contact Us