West Valley City Tragedy: Family Mourns 8-Month-Old Son Killed by Stray Bullet at WestFest, Hopes to Lay Him to Rest in Guatemala
West Valley City, Utah — What should have been a joyous family outing to celebrate Father’s Day turned into a nightmare of unthinkable grief for a young couple whose 8-month-old baby was among the innocent victims of a deadly shooting that erupted during the final night of the WestFest carnival in West Valley City.
The infant, now identified as Anderson Garcia Cabrera Jr., was one of three people killed in the tragic incident. Authorities have confirmed that Anderson Jr. and an unrelated 41-year-old woman were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The third victim, an 18-year-old male, was reportedly the intended target. Gunfire broke out amidst the bustling carnival crowd, sending people running in terror, and forever altering the lives of the Garcia family.
Now, the grieving parents — Anderson and Mehili Garcia — are facing the heartbreaking task of burying their beloved son. As they navigate this trauma, they are hoping to fulfill one final wish: to bring their baby home to Guatemala, where he can be laid to rest surrounded by extended family and the love of his ancestral homeland.
“What was meant to be a joyful Father’s Day celebration — our first as a complete family with our twin boys — became the most heartbreaking night of our lives,” Anderson Garcia wrote in an emotional post on their GoFundMe page, where the family is raising funds to cover funeral and transportation expenses. “We are devastated and struggling to process this unimaginable loss.”
The Garcia family had attended WestFest on Sunday evening to celebrate and create cherished memories with their twin sons. Instead, their world was shattered in an instant. Amidst the flashing lights and laughter of the carnival, chaos erupted. A gunman opened fire, sending bullets into the crowd. One of those stray bullets struck Anderson Jr., claiming his life before he could even take his first steps or say his first words.
The emotional toll on the family is incalculable. The pain of losing a child is something no parent should ever endure, especially in such a senseless and violent manner. But as they mourn, they are also determined to ensure that their son receives the dignified farewell he deserves.
“Our little boy was full of light and innocence,” wrote Garcia. “We want to honor his life and memory by taking him to rest in the land of our roots, where generations of our family have lived and loved.”
The GoFundMe page, now being widely shared throughout the community and beyond, has become a beacon of hope and support for the family. It reads, in part:
“Any contribution, no matter how small, will help us cover the costs of transporting our baby home and giving him the proper burial he deserves. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your compassion, prayers, and support.”
Photos shared online show Anderson and Mehili Garcia beaming with joy as they held their twin boys, capturing moments of love and family that will now live on as precious memories. The image of Anderson Jr. — full of promise, full of life — is now etched into the hearts of a grieving community.
As police continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting, many in West Valley City and across the state are calling for increased safety measures and a crackdown on gun violence, especially in public and family-friendly spaces like WestFest. The community is left asking how such a tragedy could unfold in a space that was meant to foster joy and togetherness.
The loss of Anderson Jr. is not just a personal tragedy; it’s a communal heartbreak. His story is a painful reminder of how innocent lives are far too often the collateral damage in a world plagued by violence.
In the midst of their sorrow, the Garcia family is clinging to the support of loved ones and the generosity of strangers. Their only wish now is to lay their son to rest in peace — in the country that connects their past and their identity — and to remember him not for how he died, but for the light he brought into their lives during his brief but beautiful time on earth.
Those wishing to donate can find the GoFundMe link here, and the family asks that supporters also keep Anderson Jr.’s twin brother in their thoughts, as he grows up with the memory of a brother taken too soon.
May Anderson Garcia Cabrera Jr. rest in peace, and may his memory spark change, healing, and unity in the face of violence.