Friends, Family Remember Woman Killed By Citrus Heights Police
FAIR OAKS (CBS13) — A large crowd gathered in Fair Oaks on Monday to remember a woman who was shot and killed by Citrus Heights police a day earlier.
Gabriella Nevarez's cousins joined the dozens who showed up where the 22-year-old took her last breath.
"I love you Gabby, rest in peace," said Aniyas White.
It was an emotional night filled with many questions about her death.
"Why didn't you just pull over," said Charisse Case. "Nobody will ever know that but her."
Citrus Heights Police say the tried to pull her over on Sunday morning, but she refused. Instead, she rammed a patrol car with her car and lead officers on a high-speed chase.
Officers say she was driving recklessly on the wrong side of the road. After she allegedly tried to ram another patrol car, officers opened fire on Nevarez, killing her.
"It was a bad, poor choice on her, but it didn't have to end the way it did," Case said.
Her friends and family say Nevarez had just gotten into an argument with her grandmother, who then called 911 and told officers her granddaughter had stolen her car.
"She's just been crying all day," said cousin Faith Wright. "She feels like it's her fault, and it's not her fault."
Nevarez was no stranger to law enforcement. She had been charged in Sacramento County with robbery on 2010.
At least two officers involved in Sunday's shooting are on standard administrative leave.