Fairfield police have identified the 18-year-old victim that was fatally shot at the Sem Yeto High School graduation on Wednesday as Jamario Baker.
A vigil for Jamario Baker is shown at Fairfield High on Friday. Baker was identified as the 18-year-old victim that died in a shooting on Wednesday night just moments after the Sem Yeto High graduation had ended.
Baker died in the parking lot near Fairfield High School’s Schaefer Stadium moments after the graduation ended. He was still wearing his cap and gown. The announcement comes a day after the Fairfield Police Department acknowledged that no officers were present at the graduation ceremony when a gunman opened fire, killing Baker and wounding three other people. The Fairfield Police Department issued a public statement on Friday after questions emerged about security at the graduation ceremony.
Police attributed the lack of police presence to a breakdown in communication between the city and the school district. The department said reports suggesting the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District never requested police coverage were “not an accurate characterization” of what happened. According to police, the department maintains a memorandum of understanding with the school district to provide officers for events such as graduations and sporting events when requested through an established process.
“Through an internal review conducted in coordination with the FSUSD administration, an attempt to make a request was submitted for the Sem Yeto graduation,” the department said. “The request was not made through the established channels, and the department was not aware of the request. ”The admission marks the first public acknowledgment by city officials that a request for police coverage had been attempted but never reached the appropriate personnel within the department.
Police said they are continuing to work with the district and remain committed to improving communication and ensuring public safety. The revelation prompted a response from Fairfield Mayor Catherine “Cat” Moy, who said she sought answers from city officials after receiving inquiries from media outlets following the shooting.
In an online comment, Moy said she spoke with the city manager at 10:45 a.m. Friday, and was initially told that no officers had been present because the school district had not requested coverage.
“He told me no. He explained that the school district had not requested police coverage,” Moy wrote. “He further told me that the city doesn’t usually cover the smaller school graduations, unless requested. ” Moy said she was informed that police would fully staff upcoming graduations at Armijo, Rodriguez, and Fairfield high schools.
“Based on the information in this post, it’s unclear what occurred,” she wrote. “Clearly, there was a failure of the established process. It’s important that we see where that failure occurred so it doesn’t happen again. ” The mayor’s comments came as some residents questioned why the city, police department, and school district had not held a joint press conference to address lingering questions about the shooting and security arrangements.
When one commenter noted that officials “have not held an official press conference to allow media to ask questions and get clarification of what transpired,” Moy defended her and the city’s response.
“The police held a press conference, and I’ve spoken to at least 15 media outlets around the country,” she replied. “Google it. ” On the night of the shooting, police gathered the media briefly on two occasions, providing scant information beyond the fact that there were four victims. The following day, they released the ages but no further information on the victims.
On Friday, they issued a release asking the public’s help in sharing photos or videos from the graduation for review to help with the ongoing investigations. No suspect is yet in custody and the investigation continues, officials said. Moy also said she and a local pastor visited Fairfield High School following the shooting to pray at the scene.
Meanwhile, Hope Christian Church in Fairfield has announced plans for a community prayer gathering at the site of the shooting. The church is inviting residents to attend a “Moment of Blessing: Hope, Healing, and Unity” at noon on Friday in the Fairfield High School parking lot.
“In the wake of the recent tragedy at Sam Yeto’s graduation, our community continues to grieve alongside those who have been deeply affected,” the church said in a social media statement. “This gathering is an opportunity to honor those impacted, support one another, and reaffirm our commitment to the well-being of our community. ” According to Moy, the pastor of the family of the victim who was killed is expected to attend the event.
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