Kerry Sheron, an Escondido veteran, died Sunday night after spending days in the ICU following an attack outside his Buchanan Street home on Wednesday afternoon.
The suspect fled the scene but was arrested a few blocks away and identified as Thomas Caleb Butler, 32. Butler has been booked on attempted murder charges and is due in court June 3.
For days, neighbors gathered on the sidewalk outside Sheron's home, also recognized as the ‘Trump House,” due to his collection of American and trump flags surrounding the outside
Residents brought flowers and held signs in hopes he would survive. Now, they continue to come together in his memory and to make sure his flags, which once hung as a target for vandals, stay flying.
Sheron's wife, Maria Garcia, remembered him as a man of service and faith.
"I want to remember my husband, you know, how he was the very good man, you know, the service in the church service in the army, you know, I wanna remember the but for me is my hero," Garcia said.
Jim Gillie, a family friend, said the community has rallied around Garcia in the days since her husband's death.
"Since the accident has happened, his wife hasn't been able to eat," Gillie said. "She hasn't been able to sleep, but the community has brought tamales and enchiladas and pizzas and all kinds of things. She just wanted to make sure everybody in the community gets a thank you for all the support.”
Gillie said he learned something was wrong when he spotted police tape surrounding the property Wednesday.
"We were driving by on our way to the store and I saw a police tape up all around here," Gillie said. "And I'm like, oh no, they got Kerry.”
Neighbors are speculating over whether the attack was politically motivated. Gillie said Sheron had been targeted before.
"Back in March, people came through with razor blades and cut up a bunch of Kerry's flags," Gillie said. "Kerry was used to it because he'd come out here with his Trump signs and stuff during the week and flags, and people would drive by and honk and wave, and most of the people are good, but when someone would flip him off, he'd just look at me and say, they have their right to freedom of speech too."
Yusef Miller, a fellow veteran and representative for the North County Equity and Justice Coalition, said the community must reflect on what happened.
"What happened to our fellow veteran is something that should have never happened," Miller said. "We need to stand strong, and this is an example, when we lost Kerry, of how far we've gone off the wrong track.”
Anyone wishing to support the family can donate here.
