--- description: Richard Martinez, outspoken gun-law critic since his son became a victim in the May 23 shooting, meets with killer's dad Peter Rodger title: Santa Barbara Massacre Victim's Dad Meets With Dad of Perpetrator image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt97908617d8790bff/698695bd35ba6f1921c025ff/ap726478900400.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Dad of Santa Barbara Massacre Victim Meets With Killer's Dad by [Per Liljas](/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 2, 2014 5:12 AM CUT  Richard Martinez, whose son Christopher was killed in a mass shooting in Isla Vista, Calif., breaks down as he talks to media outside the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office on May 24, 2014, in Santa Barbara, Calif. Richard Martinez, whose son Christopher was killed in a mass shooting in Isla Vista, Calif., breaks down as he talks to media outside the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office on May 24, 2014, in Santa Barbara, Calif.Jae C. Hong—AP by [Per Liljas](/author/per-liljas/) ## Per Liljas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 2, 2014 5:12 AM CUT The father of one of the victims of the recent California killing spree [met](http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/01/us/california-killing-spree-fathers/index.html?c=homepage-t "undefined") Sunday with the father of the 22-year-old perpetrator who took his own life. Richard Martinez, whose son Christopher was killed May 23 by Elliot Rodger, met with Peter Rodger, CNN reports. Martinez reached out to Rodger after making several emotional appearances on national television pleading for politicians to enact tighter gun laws restrict gun laws and for media to give a face to the victims, not only the killer. “I have met Peter Rodger, and plan to work together so that other families such as ours will not suffer such as we have,” Martinez [told](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/victim-dad-meets-killer-father-article-1.1813461 "undefined") the New York _Daily News_ following the meeting. “This was a private conversation between grieving fathers who have reached common ground.” Elliot Rodger killed six people between the ages of 19 and 22 years old on May 23 before taking his own life. His parents had tried to arrange help for him in the weeks leading up to the shooting. No media or cameras were allowed at the private meeting between Martinez and Rodger. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/2807495/santa-barbara-massacre-victim-dad-meets-perpetrator-dad/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/2807495/santa-barbara-massacre-victim-dad-meets-perpetrator-dad/"},"headline":"Dad of Santa Barbara Massacre Victim Meets With Killer's Dad","datePublished":"2014-06-02T05:12:57.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T08:09:13.179Z","description":"Richard Martinez, outspoken gun-law critic since his son became a victim of the May 23 shooting, talks with the killer's dad Peter Rodger. 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