Last Thursday night, Patrick Kasper was delivering $90 worth of food to what turned out to be a vacant home in the 22800 block of Adrienne Avenue when he was robbed and assaulted by two to three teenage suspects.
The next morning, Kasper's mother heard him struggling to breathe. The 36 year old was rushed to the hospital, but doctors said he had suffered a severe aneurysm in his brain. Kasper was pronounced legally brain dead.
"This is wrong, this man was out here making a decent living and if you have to come out and destroy another person's life to this extent, you need to be brought to justice," said Moreno Valley resident Felisha Woods.
Beverly McCarter, who lives on the same block where the attack occurred, said she has seen the neighborhood transformed by violence, so much so that most restaurants won't deliver to her home.
"I drive and get my pizza because a lot of pizza places around here will not deliver to this neighborhood," she said.
Kasper's mother, Lori, said that on the night of the attack, her son told her he remembered being punched and knocked out. Now brain dead, the family said they will donate his organs.
"I've now lost my son and nothing can bring him back," the mother said.
Kasper was a father to an 11-year-old girl.
A single candle was placed outside the Pizza Hut where Kasper worked for eight years.
"Patrick was a valued team member and friend," said Southern California Pizza Co., which owns the Pizza Hut franchise in which Kasper was a manager. "Our hearts go out to his family during this tragic time."
Kasper's mother, who is also a Pizza Hut employee, urged the suspects to turn themselves in and not harm anyone else.
"I just want whoever did this to step forward, please, and turn yourself in, because I really loved my son a lot," she said.
On Monday, June 11, Southern California Pizza Co. will hold a fundraiser from 4 p.m. to closing time at the Pizza Hut restaurants at 24021 Alessandro Blvd., Moreno Valley, and 19040 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside. A percentage of proceeds from all orders during that time will go to the family.
Pizza Hut employees said they plan on hosting car washes in the area as well.
The company said it is collecting donations at all Pizza Hut locations in Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino and North Orange counties.
Police on Monday continued their search for Kasper's assailants. Anyone with information on the case was urged to contact the Moreno Valley Police Department at (951) 247-8700.
