All around me are friends, united in a common purpose β to have a good time, by any means necessary. The party dies down and the friends I came with find me.
After teasing me for puking, they help me get back in the car. I soon regain my confidence to be social so I begin to circle the room, looking for new people to meet, a drink to fill my cup or something to smoke. My want to socialize begins to wear off, and this tingling sensation in the back of my head begins to take control. I wander through the rooms, looking for an exit from this house filled with dozens of young people.
I find the backyard. My stomach is clenching and I begin to vomit. My head is killing me and my stomach is weak but I had a fun night, surrounded by friendsβ¦. It is a well-known fact that young people in Merced have limited social options, which is why so many of them turn to partying.
Matthew Fisher, 19, was one of three people shot and killed during a recent shooting at a party in the neighboring town of Atwater. The other two young people who lost their lives were Samantha Parreira, 16, and Bernabed Hernandez-Canela, Local authorities say the shooting was gang-related, but whether the victims had any connections with gangs is still in question.
I did hear through friends that shots were fired after a confrontation, when a group of gang-affiliated folks approached rival gang members at a party near a residence. Regardless of who did the shooting and why, my condolences go out to the families and friends of those teens.
