Allen Oliver Vargas, 30, was shot dead at the Hollister Migrant Housing Center in Hollister, California, on January 10, 2024. Deputies arrived after reports of gunfire around 6:56 p.m. and found Vargas inside a housing unit with multiple gunshot wounds; life-saving efforts failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses said three suspects arrived in a white sedan, two got out, fired at least ten rounds into the unit from a window, then fled while a third stayed with the car. Several other people were inside the unit but were not injured.

Sheriff Eric Taylor described the attack as appearing targeted and gang-related, and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office has assigned its Gang Violence Task Force to the active investigation. No suspects had been identified or arrested. The housing center, which shelters migrant farmworkers and temporarily housed seven families displaced by a recent apartment fire, has been further shaken by the shooting. Family and friends remember Vargas for his infectious laughter, outgoing nature, and ability to lift those around him.

Does anyone who was at the center that evening or who saw a white sedan in the area have information to share with investigators?