On Saturday, a 5-year-old girl was shot and killed on a freeway in Milpitas, and the California Highway Patrol is asking for information about the incident. They were on their way to dinner when the incident occurred on Interstate 880 near Dixon Landing Road.
Eliyanah’s parents told ABC7 that her sixth birthday was scheduled for April 21. ABC7 has decided to hide her last name at the request of her family out of fear for their own safety. The 5-year-old and her family were reportedly on their way to Outback Steakhouse in Milpitas on Saturday, according to eyewitnesses.
They were driving down I-880 shortly before 7 o’clock when a car pulled up next to them and someone inside began firing shots. “We had an officer that was on an unrelated traffic stop on the side of I-880 in the vicinity of Fremont area, approached about 6:40 p.m. by the victim’s family,” said CHP Lt. Shawna Pacheco.
“They said that their daughter had been shot. So the 5-year-old girl was transported to a local area hospital and unfortunately succumbed to her injuries.” The CHP is still looking into the incident and has not made any statements about a possible suspect.
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This is one of two shootings that have been reported in the East Bay and South Bay, both of which are currently being investigated by various authorities. A pedestrian called Fremont police before the fatal shooting that killed Eliyanah, they said, saying that a car had driven up next to them and shot at them after a confrontation. The time stamp on that call is 6:37 PM.
Santa Cruz police conducted a pursuit on Highway 17 and apprehended three suspects they believe were involved in the Fremont shooting several hours later. Three individuals were detained. At this time, the CHP has not established a link between the Fremont shooting and the fatal interstate shooting.
Dr. Thomas Plante, a professor at Santa Clara University, claims that there is no single type of person who might open fire in a public area. “Certainly, impulse control is variable. Another variable is people who are influenced by those around them, egging them on to do something,” he said.
“The third is people that don’t have any feel for other people, lack of empathy for a variety of reasons, that just doesn’t seem to be part of their skill set.” They report that Eliyanah, who is now five years old, is thrilled about both Easter and her forthcoming fifth birthday. Her brother, 11 months her junior, was the sibling with whom she shared the closest bond.
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