California shooting suspect expected to be arraigned from his hospital bed

The man accused of killing four people, including a child, last week in Southern California is expected to be arraigned from his hospital bed after he was injured in a gun battle with police.

Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday after his initial arraignment date was moved from Friday, as previously reported by USA Today.

His arraignment is now scheduled for Tuesday, according to Kimberly Edds, a public information officer at the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Gonzalez, however, remains in the hospital unconscious, and is unable to speak, which has been his condition since the shooting, USA Today reported.

An Orange County District Attorney spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that the hearing will be postponed until Gonzalez is conscious.

Police have not yet determined a motive, but Orange Police Department spokesperson Lt. Jennifer Amat told reporters on Wednesday that, “The preliminary motive is believed to be related to a business and personal relationship which existed between the suspect and all of the victims.”

“This was not a random act of violence,” she added.

The shooting occurred at the business where Gonzalez’s estranged wife previously worked, USA Today reported. According to Amat, Gonzalez appeared to have known all of the victims.

According to USA Today, Gonzalez’s estranged wife does not know why he targeted her former workplace, which she departed a couple years ago after more than a decade. She said they separated approximately two years ago, and that she had not been in contact with him since then.

On Wednesday, the Orange Police Department responded to reports of gunshots fired at a local office building. Four people, including a 9-year-old boy, were killed in the incident. A fifth person was wounded.

Gonzalez has been charged with four felony counts of murder, one felony count of attempted murder and two felony counts of attempted murder of a police officer, according to a a statement from the District Attorney’s office.

He was also charged with four felony enhancements of the personal discharge of a firearm causing death, one felony enhancement of the personal discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, one felony enhancement of premeditation, one felony enhancement of the personal use of a firearm and one felony enhancement of the personal discharge of a firearm.

Gonzalez, the District Attorney’s office noted, is eligible for the death penalty.

The California shooting comes amid a surge in gun violence throughout the country as it emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. In March, a combined 18 people were killed in shootings in the Atlanta area and Boulder, Colo.