Eliyanah Crisostomo's family 'just innocent victims' in 880 fatal freeway shooting
FREMONT -- The family of 5-year-old Eliyanah Crisostomo were "just innocent victims" during a freeway shooting that left the youngster dead and her family heartbroken, officials said Tuesday.
At a Tuesday press conference, California Highway Patrol Capt. Ezery Beauchamp said the investigation into the shooting has determined the family was simply going to a birthday party when a vehicle containing three gang members pulled up and opened fire.
"We believe that they were just innocent victims," he said. "As them as a family going to a birthday party and that there was not a gang issue with them."
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office said 29-year-old Fremont resident Humberto Anaya, 25-year-old Pleasanton resident Kristo Ayala Valderrama and 27-year-old Fremont resident Emmanuel Sarango were each charged with one count murder, for the girl's death. They were additionally charged with seven counts each of shooting at an occupied vehicle, as well as additional charges from an unrelated assault earlier that day.
The suspects, members of the Fremont Sureño gang, were driving a red Honda Accord that was later located in Santa Cruz, where the defendants were caught and arrested following a pursuit on Highway 17 by CHP officers and police from Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley.
According to the District Attorney's Office, the defendants flashed gang signals and fired into the car Eliyanah was riding in with her family, believing it was a rival gang car. They flashed gang symbols before purposefully firing into the vehicle, authorities said.
Earlier in the day, all three defendants were also involved in an assault, according to the DA's office, resulting in charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. In addition, both Ayala and Anaya were carrying a concealed firearm within a vehicle and carrying a loaded firearm on one's person in a city.
About 15 minutes before the murder, Fremont Police responded to a shooting on the 37000 block of Fremont Boulevard. The victim was walking on Fremont Boulevard when the suspect vehicle, a red Honda Accord, drove by. Someone in the car commented about the red clothing the victim was wearing; two people then got out of the car and shot at the victim who ran away and was not hit.
"This has been a horrific tragedy," Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price told reporters Tuesday. "I can tell you as a mother and a grandmother my heart goes out to this family. No family should have to experience this -- no mother, no grandmother should be riding in a car and discover that your child has been shot by someone that you have no idea or no warning whatsoever that this would happen."
Price said the three men are convicted of all the charges, they face 42 years to life in prison. However, she would not commit to adding a gang enhancement to the charges. At least not just yet.
"We continue to evaluate the evidence in the case and whatever additional charges that need to be brought will be pursued at the appropriate time," she told reporters.
Also Read:
- Update: 5-year-old girl heading to birthday party fatally shot on I-880
- Eliyanah Crisostomo shooting: I-880 in Fremont closed for hours in search for clues
- Family friend's heartbreaking details of little Eliyanah Crisostomo's tragic death
A heartbroken family friend through tears has shared details surrounding the freeway shooting death. Ashley told KPIX that several people were in the car at the time of the shooting, but Eliyanah was the only one that was hit.
"Everyone else was okay. And she probably died instantly," said Ashley. "I mean, I looked at the bullet holes on the side of that vehicle. There's no way a 5-year-old could survive that."
She choked back tears as she described the final moments of Eliyanah's life. She was sitting next to her brother, who's 11 months older, in the back of the family's SUV when she was hit by gunfire on southbound 880 in Fremont.
The shooting happened a day before Easter, and less than a week before her 6th birthday.
"They had Easter baskets on the kitchen table," said Ashley. "Her brother won't even open his. He said, 'Mom I can't open my Easter basket because my sister's not here.'"
Ashley said the family first went to Outback Steakhouse in Fremont for a birthday dinner, but it was closed. So they decided to head to the one in Milpitas.
"All of a sudden, their life changed. Gunshots," she said. "They didn't know what to do. They drove a little faster to try to get away."
