‘Beyond proud’: Family, friends unveil memorial to remember couple killed in Gorge shooting

SEATTLE — Leaders with the Swedish Cancer Institute installed a new memorial to remember their two nurses who were shot and killed at a music festival over the summer.

The shooting happened at the Beyond Wonderland Festival at the Gorge Amphitheater campgrounds on Saturday, June 17.

Two people were killed, and three others were injured, including the suspected shooter, authorities said.

The two victims who were killed were later identified as Josilyn Ruiz, 26, and her fiancé, Brandy Escamilla, 29, who both had lived in Seattle.

“My understanding is that they had actually gone back to the campsite to put on some warmer clothes, and unfortunately the shooter opened fire on their campsite on them,” said Kevin Boyle, an attorney representing Ruiz’s family.

Leaders with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said the shooter fired twice – when he walked away from the area and when police closed in on him. The suspect then reportedly began shooting randomly into the crowd, authorities added.

The festival’s second day was canceled.

KIRO 7 News reached out to the company of the festival, Insomniac Events, for a response. The company deferred to police for a statement.

We also reached out to the company that operates the Gorge Amphitheater, Live Nation, and did not get a response.

Court documents showed the 26-year-old shooting suspect, James Kelly, took psychedelic mushrooms before the fatal shooting.

Memorial at Swedish in Seattle

KIRO 7 News learned that Brandy Escamilla had worked as an oncologist nurse at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle for more than two years.

Her primary doctor, Fengting Yan, held a memorial on the institute’s fifth floor Friday to remember both nurses.

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Memorial installed for Beyond Wonderland victims Swedish Hospital installed a memorial Friday afternoon to remember and honor the two victims who were shot and killed at the Beyond Wonderland Festival this summer at the Gorge. Both were nurses. (KIRO 7 News)

“I desperately want Brandy back. I worked with her every day. It’s hard when she cannot come back to me,” Yan told KIRO 7 News. “Every morning I was still hoping Brandy comes through the door and I can still talk to her. Even today. I’m still expecting she can come back. The idea (memorial) would be at least she is still with me. She’s still in our memory. She’s in our hearts, so we’re not losing her. She’s with us.”

Yan and other hospital leaders created a block with both victims’ names engraved and installed it into the wall where the victims’ patients, coworkers and loved ones can remember them.

“We see her name and we see her every day when we walk into work,” said Yan. “It’s not just me -- I have a lot of patients, a lot of coworkers and a lot of colleagues. We feel her presence even though she’s not with us anymore. So, we want to feel her, and feel her presence every day.”

Yan described Escamilla as a nurse who deeply cared for her patients, made them laugh while providing hope, and who possessed a “healing power.”

“I have a lot of patients who trusted her way more than anyone else,” she added. “Brandy you are wonderful, and I love you.”

One cancer patient reached out to KIRO 7 and expressed their deep appreciation for Brandy.

“As we got to know each other better with each visit we opened our hearts to one another,” said one cancer patient. “The last time I saw Brandy was with Kathy prior to my 3rd Chemo, as we parted we hugged as was our tradition, and after my visit with Dr.Yan we ended at Anna’s desk, Brandy popped out of the nurse’s office and we all had a hug fest: Dr.Yan, Anna, Brandy, Kathy, and I.

Yan said she and other volunteers had held a Pink walk last Saturday, September 23, to raise money for breast cancer awareness, and to honor both Ruiz and Escamilla.

She said they plan to hold the walk for both victims every year going forward.

Brandy’s best friend and coworker, Anna Handford, opened up with KIRO 7 News and shared her thoughts after seeing the memorial for the first time.

“It’s really painful to see her name there and to know she herself is not going to be here again,” said Handford. “I’m just happy that her impact is recognized.”

Family members speak out

KIRO 7 News talked with the parents of both victims after more than a couple dozen of family members flew in from California to see the memorial firsthand.

“I’m still waiting for her to call me back,” said Brandy’s mother Blanca Escamilla. “To tell me she lost her phone, or she forgot to call. I still hope she calls me back every day.”

Escamilla and her husband, along with 28 other family members, were hoping to find some closure at Friday’s event, she shared.

“It’s been very hard for us for everybody. That’s why everybody is here to see some kind of closure and accepting that she’s not coming back,” she said.

Eddie Escamilla, Brandy’s father, said the memorial filled him up with a sense of pride as he reflected on his daughter’s life and the impact she had left in Seattle.

“I’m so beyond proud of her,” he shared. “We know she is special for us and now we know how special she was for so many people, so many hearts she has touched. We’re very blessed and honored for that.”

He described his daughter as friendly, very social, and a person who could talk with anyone about any topic.

Blanca told KIRO 7 News she would share the following message to her daughter if she could see her one more time.

“I love you. I love you very much. If I can hold her and tell her again how much I love her,” she said.

KIRO 7 News also spoke with Josilyn’s parents.

“Losing your daughter has been extremely difficult for us,” said her mother Anita Ruiz. “It has been unbelievable. It’s still like a dream, a bad dream. To just think she’s not going to walk through the house as she would do occasionally every few months with Brandy.”

“It was one of the worse days of my life,” she added.

After seeing her daughter’s memorial for the first time, Anita detailed how “it means so much to us, and we just hope she’s looking down on this as well, and know that you did good, mamas. You did really good. We love you. We love you so much.”

Josilyn’s father, John Ruiz, said his daughter deeply loved Brandy. Both had a passion for snowboarding, kayaking, kick boxing, traveling and attending music festivals.

“It’s a big loss. They were engaged. The future we won’t get to see is what hurts the most. The next adventure. The next conversation,” he said.

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