The family and friends of the young man who died in the Tucson shooting in August that killed three others, including a Pima County constable, are still grieving, criticizing the response of local authorities. there is
Elijah Miranda, 25, a member of the Pasqua Yaki tribe, was sleeping on a friend’s couch after a late-night shift at McDonald’s.
When neighbor Gavin Lee Stansel opened fire during an eviction, killing Miranda, Constable Deborah Martinez Garibay, and apartment manager Angela Fox, his friends left his apartment and left him behind. and committed suicide on August 25th.
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According to the incident report, Fox accompanied Martinez-Galibay to evict Stansel, who allegedly threatened neighbors and the former apartment manager.Fox family submitted a claim It sued Pima County and the estate of Deborah Martinez Garibay for $50 million in negligence.
The day Elijah Miranda died, his sister Jennifer Miranda was finishing her shift at McDonald’s with Elijah Miranda. He had recently been promoted to manager.
“We had both just finished work, so Brian drove us over and drove us home,” said Jennifer Miranda. Her last words to him were “see you later”.
Little did she know that it would be the last time she would see him.
Miranda was trying to turn her life around
Elijah Miranda’s promotion to manager at work shows his efforts to turn his life around.
Jennifer Miranda said she returned to Tucson to put things right after briefly trying drugs and alcohol and fleeing to Texas a year or two ago. He intended to go back to school.
Jennifer and Elijah Miranda have been best friends since childhood. They relied on each other as their single mother worked long hours as a nurse and their father was in and out of daily life.
“Elijah was always ready to help anyone in need. He was very friendly to everyone and always talking to people,” said Jennifer Miranda.
When Elijah Miranda was 11 years old, he joined Dancing in the Street Arizona, a performing arts group for at-risk youth in southern Tucson, after watching his brother participate.
“He was a great student. He was a gentle giant,” said Joseph Rogers, who runs a nonprofit dance organization with his wife Solest Lupu. After-school programs were his second home.
However, Rogers pointed out that Elijah Miranda had a lot of stress in his life.
According to a cousin, some of the difficulties Miranda faced growing up were the absence of his father, his subsequent death, and depression.
Rogers became a father figure to Elijah Miranda, taking her to dance school and attending parent-teacher visits at the school.
Friends and family critical of local authorities’ response
In an emotional speech to the Pima County Board of Supervisors in March, Rogers and Lupu detailed how officers were not properly trained and did not follow protocol. After learning of the allegations, he lashed out at the Pima County Board of Supervisors and Tucson officials. Her body was filled with drugs and alcohol.
“We are very sorry that the county and city did not acknowledge the death of this precious tribal member to the family,” Rupu said tearfully, amid little recognition of Elijah. He pointed out how honored the constable was.
She pleaded with the county superintendent to call her mother or “allow anything.”
“His life was as important as the constable and all the lives taken that day,” she said.
Elijah Miranda’s cousin, Nicky Miranda, echoed this statement, noting how often the stories of indigenous communities go largely unrecognized and unnoticed.
She noted that stories between indigenous communities are often “relegated” and often have a shorter lifespan in the news.
Nikki Miranda said what happened to her cousin was terrible, but he would be grateful that his friends didn’t die on that fateful day.
“The family had just moved out. He stayed,” said Nicky Miranda. “If it was the other way around, he would tell me that at least my family is safe, my kids are safe, and it’s okay for something like this to happen.”
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