Father of Santa Barbara Shooter Elliot Rodger Meets With Victim's Dad
Peter Rodger met with Richard Martinez on June 1.
June 15, 2014— -- Photos released today show the dramatic meeting between the father of the UC Santa Barbara campus shooter and the father of one of the people who were killed during the shooting spree.
Elliot Rodger, 22, is believed to have gone on a violent spree that claimed six lives around the campus of the University of California Santa Barbara on May 24. Rodger had written an angry screed and taped YouTube videos in which he explained his hatred for women and talked about committing violence.
Christopher Martinez, 20, was one of the students who was shot and killed in the spree. Rodger ultimately turned the gun on himself as well.
The fathers of both young men, Peter Rodger and Richard Martinez, spoke out after the shooting and decided to meet one another.
Photos released today show the men clasping hands and hugging during that meeting, which occurred on June 1 in Santa Barbara. The photos were released today by RALLY, an issue advocacy firm.
"We plan to work together so other families such as ours will not suffer as ours have," Martinez told ABC News affiliate KEYT-TV. "This was a private conversation between grieving fathers who've reached common ground."
Martinez had previously spoken out against gun violence in the wake of his son's death.
"Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris' right to live? When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say stop this madness?" Martinez said. "We should say to ourselves, not one more."