Parlier Police Step Up Patrol After Three Teens Shot in Park

Three Parlier teenagers are recovering after being shot Sunday night at Parlier’s Veteran Park. One of the victims, Jacob Padilla, is the son of City Councilmember Yolanda Padilla.

Parlier Police Chief David Cerda called it a random act of violence against innocent victims.

As of Monday morning, Padilla was in critical but stable condition, according to Sandra Ching, Padilla’s aunt. Padilla said all of the victims are 18 years old.

Cerda said all of the victims have non-life threatening conditions and are stable.

Monday evening, Veteran’s Park was filled with children and their families less than 24 hours after the teens were shot while sitting on the bleachers.

"Oh, times have changed, definitely," said longtime Parlier resident Janie Sanchez. 

Ching said the gang violence has gotten out of control in Parlier. She said Jacob and his friends were only out to exercise at the park.

"When they stopped, they sat down for a little while when the car approached them–just asked if they claimed whatever. I don’t know what they asked them. And they said that they didn’t claim anything and [they] pulled out the gun and shot all three of them," Ching said.

Police stepped up their patrols Monday evening at a children’s city league baseball game that took place at the same park where the teens were shot.

Cerda said the event was not cancelled because it’s important for the kids to continue to be involved in positive activities, "and also keep them from being recruited by the criminal element out there with the gang activity–the spike that we have seen. So we want our kids out here, and we want to make sure they’re safe," Cerda said.

President of the Parlier Cal Ripken League Lucio Rodriguez said they’re tackling the gang problem by being proactive and not reactive, giving kids something positive to do.

He said he won’t allow gangs to intimidate them.

"We’re not here to claim any kind of turf or whatever. This park belongs to the City of Parlier and the kids," Rodriguez said.

Parlier police are offering a reward of $ 2,000 in this case. They believe two to four suspects got away in a white or beige compact car.

Cerda said they will continue gang suppression efforts like the gang sweep they had Saturday, the day before the shooting.