LOMPOC. Calif - A Lompoc man spoke publicly for the first time after he found a soldier gunned down in the street.
22-year-old Marlon Brumfeild was an active soldier on leave from Germany when he was shot and killed late Saturday night.
Brumfield was shot multiple times just before 2 a.m. on Sunday near the intersection of Ocean Avenue and A street.
First responders tried to save his life, but he died at the scene.
Lompoc resident Justin Sorhondo who was there on the night of the shooting says he heard shots and ran to help.
"I heard pop, pop, pop, pop. And I'm like on no! Somebody got shot. And I booked it outside. He was breathing but he was unresponsive from the very git,” said Sorhondo.
This is the sixth homicide in Lompoc this year. Grieving community members stopped by a makeshift memorial, bringing a collection of flowers and candles in remembrance of Marlon Brumfeild.
Keith Marshal, a friend of Brumfield's, was devastated by the news.
“My heart just sunk and I just couldn’t believe it,” said Marshal.
Brumfiled is a Lompoc native who was on leave visiting family.
“You feel a sense of loss. I mean, his potential, he will never be able to express his full potential to the world,” said Brumfield.
“Someone made the comment as I was running over there, 'why are you helping him'? I shrugged it off. if I see someone hurt I'm going to go help, no matter what color they are." said Sorhondo.
Several spiritual leaders and people that knew Brumfield are coming together to organizing a march.
“We really need to get together and say how can we come together and stop this senseless violence,” said Marshal.
