A local family is speaking to 13 Action News after their father is shot and killed in front of one of his daughters and wife.
According to mother Danielle Ramirez, Mario Espinoza, the man accused of killing Salvador Ramirez, snapped in the early morning hours of May 15.
"He was paranoid acting schizophrenic saying I'm scared, I'm scared," Danielle Ramirez said.
That's when Espinoza reportedly made his way into the three children's bedroom. Two of the girls able to escape, but 10-year-old Julieana wasn't allowed to leave.
"I thought I was going to die, too," Julieana said.
Danielle said her husband tried to calm Espinoza down, while he pointed a gun at his girlfriend and the family.
"He started to get more crazy and that's when the gun started going off ...boom," Danielle said.
Espinoza shot and killed Salvador as his daughter sat just feet away.
"Mario shot my dad and my mom turned on the lights there was blood everywhere," described Julieana.
It's what mother Danielle did next that helped save her daughter.
"I grabbed the knife, he had it against me, I grabbed it and I started pushing him. I tried to stab him," said Danielle.
A day later, Danielle's finger nails are still bloody and a bullet is still lodged in her shoulder.
" I see my man on the floor and it was....it was all on me. He couldn't help me," Danielle said.
According to Danielle, Mario and his girlfriend were staying with the family until they found an apartment. Danielle and his girlfriend were good friends.
"She said she was going to have to stay in a shelter and I didn't want that," Danielle said.
The family knew Espinoza had a criminal history, but didn't know why he was in jail.
Police records show Espinoza had been in and out of jail since 2002 for multiple charges, including domestic assault and drugs.
Espinoza now faces charges for murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
The Ramirez family has set up a GoFundMe account for funeral expenses.
