East LA family mourning woman killed in drive-by shooting

An East Los Angeles family is mourning the loss of their 22-year-old family member who was killed during a drive-by shooting last weekend. 

Lexus Gutierrez was fatally shot on Jan. 21 at around 11 a.m. while she was sitting inside of her friend's car outside of their home in the 600 block of S. Humphreys Street when someone in another car fired shots as they drove by. 

Family members say that their 22-year-old niece was struck in the head while sitting in the front passenger seat, and that the driver of the car got hit in the hand. A third person in the back of the car was uninjured. 

Witnesses told investigators that she tried to run back into the house but collapsed before she made it inside. 

It's been a grief-filled week for family as they continue searching for answers, including who it was that took their loved one from them that day. 

"Please, if you have any compassion, please turn yourself in," said Patricia Ramirez, Gutierrez's aunt. "Please, maybe you weren't in your right mind when it happened, but please turn yourself in. It's not going to bring Lexus back, but it's going to bring some kind of closure to her mom."

They say that Gutierrez, the oldest of three children, loved softball and was studying to be a nurse. 

"Truly was a special, special person who was always kind. Never had a frown, never had anything bad to say about anybody and always made friends where she would go," Ramirez said. 

They're hopeful that surveillance footage from the area can provide Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators with some sort of lead as they look into the incident. 

A growing memorial of candles, balloons and flowers for Gutierrez could be seen outside of the home where the shooting happened. 

"Nothing's gonna bring her back," Ramirez said. "But, we don't want another family to go through this. ... It's just devastating."

Anyone with more information on the shooting is urged to contact investigators at 1-800-222-TIPS.