Mother seeks justice for son killed in drive-by shooting in Hanford

HANFORD, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Kings County mother continues to grieve nearly a week after losing her son to a drive-by shooting during his lunch hour in downtown Hanford.

23-year-old Cruz Avalos was was shot and killed in the intersection of Lacey Boulevard and 10th Avenue on Wednesday.

As the suspect in her son's murder case awaits charges, Veronica Parker is hoping her heartache will help others heal who have lost a loved one to gun violence.

"I just want no other mom to go through this. I want people to speak out. If they know something to say something because no mom should ever go through this again," Parker said.

"As a mom, I feel like I should have been there protecting him."

Parker describes what she will miss most about her son.

"I won't get the text message of, 'Mom, what's for dinner? I'm hungry,'" Parker said.

Parker recalls the moment she received the devastating news from Cruz's girlfriend.

"'They're saying they shot Cruz.' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' I stood up, um, I stood up out of my desk and I grabbed my keys. I left everything behind and I ran out the door," Parker recalled.

In a panic, she drove from her workplace in Lemoore to Hanford.

"I honestly don't remember how I even got to the hospital. The whole time there I'm like, please say it was a mistake. Like it wasn't my son. Let it be a mistake," Parker explained.

She quickly learned it was not a mistake.

"They took us into the quiet room and they said that they tried everything that they could to save my baby, but they couldn't," said Parker.

On Monday, the Hanford Police Department announced the arrest of a second suspect in connection with the drive-by shooting on October 23 after officers mistakenly arrested a 16-year-old suspect.

"It's not ideal the fact that we had initially identified another party who was, at this point, uninvolved in our shooting. We were operating on information that we had and sometimes those mistakes occur," said Hanford Police Chief Stephanie Huddleston.

Parker says she is ultimately glad that the 16-year-old was not charged in the shooting.

"I'm happy it's not the 16-year-old because I feel that he would have got a slap on the hand and released in a couple of years," Parker said.

Kings County Sheriff's Office releasing this mugshot of 19-year-old Roman Perdue of Hanford. He was booked into Kings County Jail on Monday on a homicide charge.

"We all just want justice for my son because he didn't have to go this way. Not at all," Parker said.

Parker describes what justice looks like in the aftermath of her son's death.

"They took a life, so he needs to serve his life," explained Parker.

As the victim's mother now waits what charges may be filed against Perdue, she is also now making funeral arrangements for her son.

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