Santa Fe Avenue in front of Admiral Kidd Park was filled with honking cars Friday night as the family and friends of Jose Raul Corrales gathered for a rally and vigil to ask the community for one thing: peace.

“Everyone here is asking the community for peace and to not respond with violence,” said Danny Flores, one of the organizers of the rally. “The Corrales family was a peaceful family.”

Grandchildren of 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, gather with friends and family in front of Admiral Kidd Park along Santa Fe Avenue, for a vigil Friday evening for their Grandfather, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by, while watering his front yard near the corner of Summit Street and Canal Avenue, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.
Grandchildren of 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales hold signs asking for donations to fund their grandfather’s funeral, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.

Raul Corrales, a beloved husband and grandfather to more than 20 grandkids, was shot and killed while he was watering his front lawn Tuesday afternoon.

Drive-by shooting kills grandfather watering his yard in West Long Beach, neighbors say

According to one of his grandsons who was there, Corrales was standing outside with his grandkids as they came home from school, Bryan Aguilar, 15, said.

Corrales would water his lawn and tend to the trees everyday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

“Because he knew we’d all get out of school at that time,” Jerry Amaya-Rodriguez, another grandson, said.

Friends and family gather in front of Admiral Kidd Park along Santa Fe Avenue for a vigil Friday evening as Maria Rodriguez, center, sits with photos of her husband, 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by, while watering his front yard near the corner of Summit Street and Canal Avenue, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.
Friends and family gather in front of Admiral Kidd Park along Santa Fe Avenue for a vigil Friday evening as Maria Rodriguez, center, sits with photos of her husband, 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by, while watering his front yard near the corner of Summit Street and Canal Avenue, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.

Aguilar said his grandfather was outside with his cousins when a car of young men drove up and asked where they were from. When the cousins said they weren’t part of any gang, the driver of the car drove away, made a U-turn, and briefly parked before opening fire on the group outside the Corrales house.

“I was inside, I ran outside when I heard the shooting,” Aguilar said.

Corrales died at the scene while protecting the youngest one there—his 5-year-old granddaughter.

“I can’t cry or really show any emotion because my family is still going through it,” Amaya-Rodriguez said.

At the rally, family and friends were holding up signs that said “Honk for Peace” and “Stop the violence” and chanted “Stop the violence, we want peace.” Later, they walked with lighted candles to the Corrales home, where they said a prayer around an memorial alter.

Family came from as far as Texas and New Mexico to mourn the death of Corrales.

For Jesus and Susana Corrales, from New Mexico, they owe a lot to the patriarch. Jesus, a nephew, said Corrales taught him how to fix cars when he first came to Los Angeles at 20 years old in the ’80s.

A photo posted by friends and family at a vigil Friday evening near the spot where 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by, while watering his front yard near the corner of Summit Street and Canal Avenue, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.
A photo posted shows 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales surrounded by his family. Photo by Stephen Carr.

“Thanks to (Raul), my husband has a good job as a mechanic,” Susana said.

The police are investigating the shooting as gang-related.

Anyone with any information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Michael Hubbard and Adrian Garcia at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the “P3 Tips” app to your smartphone (available at the Apple app store or Google Play), or by visiting www.crimestoppers.org.

Friends and family gather in front of Admiral Kidd Park along Santa Fe Avenue for a vigil Friday evening for 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by, while watering his front yard near the corner of Summit Street and Canal Avenue, on Friday Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.
Many of those gathered carried signs asking for peace or remember Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by. Photo by Stephen Carr.
Friends and family gather in front of Admiral Kidd Park along Santa Fe Avenue for a vigil Friday evening as Maria Rodriguez, center, sits with photos of her husband, 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon in a drive-by, while watering his front yard near the corner of Summit Street and Canal Avenue, Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. Photo by Stephen Carr.
Maria Rodriguez, center, sits with photos of her husband, 69-year-old Jose Raul Corrales, who was shot and killed Tuesday. Photo by Stephen Carr.

Valerie Osier is the Social Media & Newsletter Manager for the Long Beach Post. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @ValerieOsier