Stanton family now seeking answers after father of 5 was gunned down and suspect remains on the run

STANTON, Calif. (KABC) -- Police are still searching for the gunman in a shooting that occurred in Stanton over the weekend that left one man dead and another injured.

It all unfolded on Saturday, April 15, just after 3 p.m. in the 10000 block of Fern Avenue in front of Harry Dotson Park.

When Orange County sheriff's deputies arrived, they found two men with multiple gunshot wounds, investigators said. One of them survived, but 33-year-old Ricardo Vivar, a father of five, died at the hospital.

Now, Vivar's family and friends are comforting his mother and sister as they try to cope with his tragic death.

"The pain that I feel! The people who killed my son took him away from me. I'm destroyed," said the victim's mother, Celia Vivar.

His sister, Erica Vivar, said their family lived in the area for more than 30 years and Ricardo, also known as Ricky, knew a lot of people in the neighborhood.

"Losing somebody the way my brother left, it's really painful," she said. "It's nothing that I believe ... to leave this world the way he did, several gunshots. He was a fun guy. He was the light of the party. He was always happy, smiling, always [kind to] everybody."

Erica fears the shooting may have been gang-related.

"There's a little crew around this area, this neighborhood, trying to come up. I think make a name of themselves and they shot him," she said.

Erica said the second victim was her cousin, who was trying to help Ricardo. She said he's recovering at the hospital.

Ricardo's family said until arrests are made, they're left with more questions than answers as to what happened.

OCSD said their investigation remains ongoing.

Meanwhile, the family has set up a GoFundMe to help them during this difficult time.