Veronica Lopez was only 24 years old and full of life. She loved skateboarding and was a huge fan of the San Francisco 49ers. She was the youngest of five daughters in her family. She recently traveled up from San Diego to Pomona. Sadly, that trip ended in a terrible tragedy.
On Thursday afternoon, a brutal domestic violence attack cut her life short. Police officers rushed to an apartment complex in the 100 block of East Monterey Avenue. They received loud reports of gunfire just before 3:30 p.m. The location was right near Monterey Avenue and Garey Avenue.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found a horrific situation. They discovered Veronica and a man named Richard Brady lying in a common hallway. Both victims were mortally wounded from the gunfire. Paramedics could not save them, and they died right there in the hallway.
Veronica’s family is completely heartbroken by the sudden loss. They shared that she had been in a tough two-year relationship with the suspect. The shooter was 48-year-old Pomona resident Robert Galtman. Veronica’s relatives said they tried absolutely everything to get her out of that toxic relationship.
Immediately after the double shooting, Galtman fled the apartment complex. He hopped into a black Kia sedan and hit the gas. His escape triggered a massive, hours-long highway chase with the California Highway Patrol. The high-speed pursuit stretched all the way through Pomona and the San Fernando Valley.
The suspect kept fleeing through the Santa Clarita Valley and into the Antelope Valley. State troopers finally brought the dangerous chase to an end around 7 p.m. Officers deployed spike strips to shred the car’s tires. They also used a strategic PIT maneuver to spin and stop the sedan.
Galtman surrendered to the police and was taken straight into custody. He is currently being held on a massive $3.1 million bail ahead of his upcoming arraignment. Meanwhile, two grieving families are left behind to deal with the devastating aftermath of the crime.
Veronica’s loved ones created a GoFundMe page to honor her vibrant memory and cover her funeral costs. Richard Brady’s relatives also launched an online fundraiser to help support his children. Veronica’s family is now urging any other victims in abusive relationships to leave immediately.
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