On July 28, Gilroy, CA was rocked by a mass shooting that killed three innocent victims and left thirteen injured at the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. In an attempt to offset the tremendous costs associated with healthcare and funerals for the victims of the shooting, Gilroy BJJ owner Carlos Melo decided to rally the local jiu-jitsu community together for a massive seminar/open mat to raise money for families affected by the shooting. Multiple BJJ black belts (including Melo himself) served as instructors for the event, and jiu-jitsu legend Caio Terra and UFC coach Dave Camarillo were two of the big-name practitioners that helped drive interest to the charity roll.
The event officially took place last weekend, and now, the results of the Gilroy BJJ community’s efforts have been revealed: over $15,000 was raised through the seminar for the victims and their families via the Gilroy Foundation.
Melo, who was at the festival with his girlfriend when the shooting occurred, was deeply impacted by the event, telling the Jiu-Jitsu Times that he broke down and cried during his speech. “I’ve never witnessed so many people coming together so quickly,” he said. Indeed, the attendee numbers were extremely impressive: over 300 BJJ practitioners attended the event, with 35 of them being black belts. A few of the people in attendance were also present at the festival during the shooting, and Melo says that one of his students also aided some of the victims.
The Gilroy Foundation is still accepting donations to help those affected by the shooting. You can contribute to the fund here.
