Family: Security Guard Killed At Natomas Apartment Party Was Trying To Stop Fight
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A Sacramento security guard was gunned down at a Natomas party and his family believes he was just trying to keep the peace after a fight broke out.
The shooting happened at the Harbor Oaks apartment complex near River Plaza Drive and Gateway Oaks Drive.
"He was just a good person. He didn't deserve what happened to him," sister Roselyn Bell said.
The family is still in shock that 25-year-old Roland Bell, a trained and dedicated security guard, died in the early hours of Sunday after being shot at a party with friends.
"I counted over 30 people and women screaming. So I obviously knew something was very wrong," neighbor Frank Roman said.
Police say several shots were fired overnight inside the apartment after a fight started.
Roland's sister says her brother tried to calm things down.
"The mediator, the peacemaker, that was him. He just always wanted to help people," said Roselyn.
When police arrived, they say they found Roland's body inside with several gunshot wounds. Two others were also shot and taken to the hospital, but are expected to survive.
"A bullet can easily go through a wall and I could have been laying in bed, and took a bullet to the head," said Roman.
Neighbors are also still shaken. They say no one lived in the apartment and it was frequently rented out for short, temporary stays.
"People can come in and can rent it for a week or two weeks," said Roman.
"It was a one-night rental and these were people from out of town," neighbor Bill Cunningham said.
Both neighbors and Roland's family are wondering why so many people were in the empty apartment in the first place.
"If they didn't lease that place out then maybe they wouldn't have had a place to have a house party at and that probably wouldn't have happened," Roselyn said.
CBS13 tried to reach out to the apartment complex management but we were not allowed on the property.
Police say they have no suspects at this time.
Neighbors tell CBS13 the apartment complex is holding a meeting Monday night for residents to talk with police about their concerns.
