LOS ANGELES — The man accused of gunning down four people, including a 9-year-old boy, inside an office park in Orange County earlier this year must undergo a psychological evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial, a judge ruled Thursday.
Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez, 44, faces four counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder for allegedly carrying out the mass shooting at a real estate company in Orange on March 31. Before opening fire, Gonzalez is said to have locked the entrances to the office complex with bicycle cables, which slowed police responding to the scene.
Luis Tovar Sr., Jenevieve Raygoza, Leticia Solis Guzman and 9-year-old Matthew Farias were all fatally shot. The boy's mother, Blanco Tamayo, was seriously injured but survived.
Gonzalez was arrested at the scene after he was wounded in a gun fight with Orange police. Investigators have said the gunman had "business and personal" relationships with the victims. The Associated Press has reported that Gonzalez's wife worked at the business he targeted, Unified Homes.
Gonzalez's arraignment had been delayed multiple times because of his injuries, and Thursday was his first court appearance. After a representative from the Orange County public defender's office expressed concerns that Gonzalez was not mentally capable of aiding in his own defense, Orange County Superior Court Judge Cheri Pham appointed psychologists to assess Gonzalez's competency to stand trial, according to Kimberly Edds, a spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney's office.
Gonzalez faces the death penalty if convicted as charged. His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 6.
