TikTok Star Anthony Barajas Has Died After Movie Theater Shooting

A TikTok star was critically wounded following a shooting at a Southern California movie theater. @itsanthonymichael has more than 900,000 followers on the platform, and news broke that he had been involved in a shooting at a Corona movie theater, where he was watching The Forever Purge with a friend in late July 2021. Now, the star's many followers are wondering what happened to him.

@itsanthonymichael, whose real name is Anthony Barajas, was found shot by movie theater workers who were cleaning up after the 9:35 p.m. showing of The Forever Purge at the Crossings at Corona mall.

"At some point, the employee or employees walk inside the theater to conduct their clean-up or walk through and that's when the 911 call was placed," Corona Police Department Cpl. Tobias Kouroubacalis said to CBS Los Angeles.

"[They said] that there was an unknown problem, somebody was bleeding, there wasn't very specific information given," Cpl. Kouroubacalis said. Detectives recovered evidence from the theater, but no gun was discovered.

Following the shooting, Joseph Jimenez, 20, later appeared in court as the suspected shooter.

"The victims were shot without any kind of prior contact," Cpl. Kouroubacalis said, according to BBC.

He has currently been charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder, though law enforcement is attempting to add a second murder charge. At this time, Jimenez has not entered a plea.

Barajas attended the showing of the movie with his friend Rylee Goodrich, who was also shot. She died at the scene.

"During the actual movie time, no one apparently heard the gunshot," Kailyn Dillon, an employee who was not working at the time, told CBS. "I know that we do have security bag checks that we do on the daily and, unfortunately, I'm not sure if it just was missed or if it was in a holster on their belt."

On July 31, after being on life support for three days, Barajas was pronounced dead.

"From his quick smile to his compassionate heart, Barajas' presence was a gift to all who knew him," his family said in a statement.

There is currently a GoFundMe started by his family to pay for any medical and funeral expenses for the TikTok star. It has already raised more than its $50,000 initial goal.

In the wake of the news of the shooting, social media has sent prayers and well wishes toward Barajas and the families of both victims.

"My friend, Anthony Barajas, 19, is on life support after he and a friend were shot in a movie theater in Corona, California," San Diego reporter Malik Earnest wrote. "Rylee Goodrich, 18, died on scene. You never really expect a loved one could fall victim to gun violence, despite its ongoing prevalence in our nation."

Following the shooting, a growing memorial was built outside of the Corona theater in memory of Barajas and Goodrich, who, according to Goodrich's father, were on their first date.