SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The family of James Rankins Jr. is dealing with the father of two’s death after a deadly shooting Sunday in Sacramento.
They say they haven’t been able to eat or sleep as they try and figure out exactly what happened to their family member.
"I had talked to him the same day he died. He called me at 5:41 p.m. He died at 5:45 p.m.,” said his sister, Khana.
She had just gotten off the phone with her brother minutes before his death.
“Our family is grieving badly,” said his aunt, Vanessa Latimer.
Sacramento police say they responded to reports of a shooting on 27th Street. When officers arrived, they found the 38-year-old had been shot at least once, and he died at the scene.
Few details about the case have been released, leaving the Rankins family puzzled.
"I just want to speak up and just basically find out what's going on,” said his stepmother, Tonya Ward. “How did he end up dead when this is his godfather's house that he's at with two pit bulls in the front of the house and him inside the yard, and he just ends up dead?"
Ward says the entire family is familiar with the house where Rankins was shot and killed, and even considered them family. They visited the scene Tuesday to remember him.
"He was a good man. He was a father. He was a great nephew. (He) made me laugh. He was crazy as heck, and we love him to death,” said Latimer. “He has family that just adores him and he was about to be a grandfather … that’s something that's really hurting."
Police say the shooting was an isolated incident and it appears Rankins knew his killer. They described the investigation as very complex and expect it to be lengthy.
Police added they’ve spoken with everyone, but no arrests have been made yet, which is something the family is questioning.
“Why is that person not locked up? I just want justice and why he's not locked up,” said Khana.
The family says they don’t plan to rest until someone is held responsible.
"I know what I know in my heart and I won't be able to sleep until I know what happened to him,” said Ward.
Sacramento police encouraged anyone who has information about the shooting to come forward. Police can be reached at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-4357. Witnesses could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 and can be anonymous.
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