The suspect in the killing of TikTok star Anthony Barajas said that 'voices' led to the 'unprovoked' shooting
- The suspect in a fatal movie theater shooting said "voices" led to the incident.
- He said the themes of "The Forever Purge" did not influence the alleged attack.
- The shooting, which occurred on July 26, killed two teenagers, including TikToker Anthony Barajas.
The suspect in the movie theater killings of TikTok star Anthony Barajas and Rylee Goodrich told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that "voices" led to the shooting.
Barajas, a TikTok star who had nearly 1 million followers on the platform (his account appears to have since been deleted), died of his injuries after a July 26 movie theater shooting that also left 18-year-old Goodrich dead, police announced on Saturday. Barajas and Goodrich were attending a showing of "The Forever Purge" in Corona, California.
The Riverside County District Attorney's office said in a Friday press release that the incident appeared to be "random" and "unprovoked."
Police arrested 20-year-old Joseph Jiminez on July 27 in connection with the incident, initially booking him on charges of murder, attempted murder, and robbery. The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that the charges were amended to include a second murder count after Barajas died. The charges against Jiminez also include a special circumstance of multiple murders and a special circumstance of lying in wait, The Times reported, citing District Attorney's office spokesman John Hall.
Jiminez spoke with the Riverside Press-Enterprise on Wednesday at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. According to the Press-Enterprise, he said that "the voices said my friends and family were going to be killed."
Responding to a question about whether he believed the only way to save them was to shoot Goodrich and Barajas, he said "basically, yeah."
Jiminez told the Press-Enterprise that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia approximately eight months ago and had been taking medication, but stopped after he ran out of pills and didn't refill his prescription. He said that the theme of "The Forever Purge," a film that centers around a night of legal crime and violence, did not influence the incident.
Jiminez offered "condolences" to the families of Goodrich and Barajas, telling the Press-Enterprise, "I wish I didn't do it."
Charles Kenyon, Jiminez's attorney, requested an order barring anyone who wasn't an attorney from visiting Jiminez in jail, with Judge Ronald L. Taylor supporting the motion to limit access, according to the LA Times. In reference to the Press-Enterprise interview, Keyon reportedly said that it was "very disturbing" that a reporter had been allowed into the jail to interview Jiminez.
Jiminez's arraignment has been postponed until September 27 after both the prosecution and defense requested a delay, the LA Times reported. Kenyon did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.