FREMONT, Calif. – A 5-year-old Northern California girl was shot and killed in the East Bay on Saturday while riding in her parents vehicle on their way to a family dinner.
The little girl killed in the senseless tragedy was identified by the Alameda County Coroner’s Office as Eliyanah Crisostomo. She was traveling in her family’s car on Interstate 880 in Fremont, California, when she suffered a fatal gunshot wound, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The homicide took place about 6:40 p.m. Saturday, according to the news outlet. Eliyanah was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The youngster was just two weeks away from her sixth birthday, reported the New York Post.
No suspects have been identified, and investigators are trying to determine what led up to the shooting, said Officer Andrew Barclay of the California Highway Patrol.
Eliyanah Crisostomo was just two weeks shy of turning 6-years-old when she was killed. (Twitter)
Eliyanah’s family had been heading to Outback Steakhouse in the City of Milpitas to attend a birthday dinner.
“She passed away within 30 seconds of the incident,” a GoFundMe organized on behalf of the family said.
“Eliyanah was a fun-loving little girl who loved life, had a giving heart, close with her three siblings, especially her brother who were 11 months apart,” the fundraising page said.
“Both were so excited for Easter before the family was torn to pieces by this tragic event. Eliyanah would have been 6 on the 21st of April.”