Davis High student dies in shooting incident

PHOTO: Blue and White yearbook, 2019

By Juju Miyamoto and Lyah Fitzpatrick,

BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Davis High senior Jerred Vargas, 19, died after a shooting incident in the Villa Apartments in East Davis on Feb. 6. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. The school district confirmed his death to the school community during fifth period.

The Davis Police Department’s online report on the incident states, “male shot in the chest, accidental gunshot by brother.”

After the incident, Vargas was sent to the UC Davis Medical Center’s trauma unit. According to Laura Juanitas, director of student support services for the Davis Joint Unified School District, there was “no indication that [the injury] was self-inflicted in any way.”

DJUSD staff members are currently responding to the incident by assembling a crisis team on the DHS and Harper Junior High campuses. DJUSD has informed teachers district-wide of the situation and has directed counselors or administrators to follow Vargas’ schedule on Feb. 7 to provide support to students and staff who knew Vargas personally.

“We have counselors here all day, so if you see students who seem to be struggling or hear about it or you’re feeling it yourself, they’re all set up in the library, they’re taking people any time you just have to walk in. You’re excused from class,” Juanitas said.

Juanitas mentioned untrue rumors are circulating. Speculations that Vargas was shot in South Sacramento, for example, are not true, Juanitas said. 

Parent Emily Ault co-leads a local gun safety group. “The Yolo County Moms Demand Action believes that any unintentional gun violence can be avoided by proper usage and proper storage,” Ault said.

Without a full report, Ault found it difficult to remark on the incident but added, “my main thing is that there are no accidental gun violence issues, it’s either intentional or unintentional.” There’s no indication that the shooting yesterday was anything but unintentional.

Juanitas called the shooting incident “a tragic event that can happen when there are guns in a home.”