SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — On Black Friday, thousands of shoppers at Valley Fair Mall in San Jose were sent running for their lives or locked down in stores after three people were shot.
Dozens ended up about a block away on the front steps of Martin and Irene Garcia’s home. Doorbell camera video shows Martin Garcia talking to two frantic girls.
“There’s a shooter inside the mall, can we come in please?” the girls are heard saying in the video.
“Come inside, come inside. If you need to come in my house, go in my house,” Martin is heard saying back. The video then shows dozens of people trickling inside.
Martin and his wife Irene quickly turned their home into a place of refuge for the next six hours.
MORE: San Jose police arrest teen suspect in Black Friday triple shooting at Valley Fair Mall
San Jose police have arrested a suspect in the Black Friday shooting that left three people injured at Westfield Valley Fair Mall.
“I have a small house, so they’re running through the house, into the bedrooms and the bathroom to hide, and then the tub and wherever they could find a place,” said Martin. “The floors were just lined through the hallway and in the living room, everywhere there was a space people wanted to take cover in case something was going to happen.”
Some people who were unable to get to their cars stayed until midnight. Irene said they ordered pizza, prayed together, and listened to Christmas music. She also reflected on the panicked parents who were separated from their children during the chaos and came to her home to reunite with them.
“They came to our door, and it was really beautiful to see that. And emotional to see that because as a parent, that’s your worst fear,” said Irene.
Irene also shared how she wasn’t surprised to see her husband open up their home like that to so many.
“This is how Martin is. He is extremely helpful,” said Irene. “It is not a surprise that Martin actually opened his door to 50-plus strangers to come in and take shelter. He’s got a big, big heart. And so it was it was definitely on display at that day.”
On Monday, San Jose Police said they caught their suspect, a 17-year-old, who was already on probation for previous gun charges. Earlier this year, police said the teen tried to run away from police with a loaded gun, but was later caught. On Friday, the teen allegedly shot a rival gang member at the mall, also wounding two innocent shoppers.
“Our officers have a limited ability to prevent this kind of juvenile violence when our juvenile laws are so weak,” said San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph. “The young offenders feel almost no fear of consequences. They bring guns into our malls and fire them indiscriminately.”
The Garcias are relieved to hear that a shooter is in custody, but also empathetic to all impacted.
“It’s sad to see the news about this young boy and the decisions he made,” said Irene. “And it’s just awful. But yeah, I’m thankful that nobody died. But it’s still terrible, people had to live through this. I mean, he affected thousands of people, right? Not just the people that were shot.”
The Garcias said there are people they helped who are now friends. They plan on reuniting after the holidays.
“It was such a horrific thing. It was almost like a peaceful thing as well, because people were here for a bad situation, but they were all kind of taking care of each other,” said Martin.
Copyright © 2025 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Duncan Meyers, founder of BDJOBSTODAY, shares expert career advice, job market insights, and practical tips to help professionals grow and succeed in their careers.
