Petitions have continued for as long as 30 years, my forlorn reader. An afternoon in 1993 was transformed into hearts-racing, bone-chilling chaos when a state unemployment office was pierced by shotgun blasts. Carol Wilson, once an advocate for unemployment benefits who was present during the chaos, reflects on the harrowing ordeal of that day in the Oxnard office on North C Street.
On December 2, 1993, the echoes of gunfire shattered the peace, claiming the lives of Phillip Villegas, Anna Velasco, and Richard Bateman, with several others left injured. Oxnard Police Officer James O’Brien was executed following a pursuit. The perpetrator, who intended to extend the horror, was shot and killed in a Ventura unemployment office parking lot. “Sometimes everything rushes back. I visualize things as we talk. …it seems like after 30 years, you could forget. … I’ve learned to deal with it,” Carol shares.
The atrocity profoundly scarred those who survived and evoked grief from the community. Survivors struggled to return to ordinary life, haunted by constant reminders and flashbacks. As time elapsed with solace still elusive, the haunting sounds of gunshots and the scent of smoke continued to linger in their lives.
“I’m thankful for each and every day,” said Catherine Stinson, who lived with the indelible marks of her 28 surgeries. At 70, she found a way to embrace life, contributing her time to acts of kindness. Others affected by the shooting found their own paths to healing and remembrance, keeping the memories of the victims alive.
‘The power of healing is one that cannot be underestimated,’ and that is something that this community has persistently embodied together throughout the years.
