A heart-wrenching tragedy took place on April 8 when a five-year-old girl named Eliyanah Crisostomo was fatally shot in her family’s car on Interstate 880 in Fremont, California. Eliyanah and her family were on their way to celebrate a birthday at the Outback restaurant in Milpitas when the shooting occurred around 6:40 pm.
A California Highway Patrol officer was nearby attending to other vehicles on the road when the family approached to report the shooting. The young girl was quickly taken to a local hospital, but she was already dead.
Eliyanah’s family was devastated by the loss of their beloved daughter and a family friend created a GoFundMe page to help support them during this difficult time. According to relatives, Eliyanah’s life was tragically cut short just 30 seconds after the shooting occurred.
Police believe the shooting was gang-related, with the intended target escaping unharmed. Later that same night, Fremont police were investigating an earlier incident on Fremont Boulevard.
After a pursuit, during which a gun was thrown out from their vehicle, three suspects linked to the earlier Fremont Boulevard shooting were apprehended. The chase ended when the suspect driver stopped on Highway 17.
In an update on April 15, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office announced that three gang members from Fremont had been charged with Eliyanah’s murder. Humberto Anaya, Kristo Ayala Valderrama, and Emmanuel Alex Sarango are each facing one count of murder and seven counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle. The trio also faces felony assault charges in connection with the earlier Fremont incident, where a pedestrian was targeted but thankfully unharmed.
