Isabel M. Rodriguez Obituary, Death – n 18-year-old mother, Isabel M. Rodriguez, was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon near Sunnyside High School while inside a car. The incident prompted lockdowns at three nearby schools—Sierra Vista Middle School, Sun Valley Elementary, and Sunnyside High—as police searched for the gunman. The lockdowns were lifted after about 30 minutes, though students from Outlook Elementary who lived near the scene had to be picked up.
Rodriguez, a Sunnyside native who worked at a restaurant, succumbed to her injuries at Sunnyside Hospital. The community expressed their grief, with a GoFundMe account set up by Yassarett Rodriguez stating, “We are all heartbroken by the loss.”
The shooting occurred around 3:20 p.m. on the 1600 block of North Avenue. Police found Rodriguez wounded in the car, and despite efforts to save her, she passed away at the hospital. Details about whether she was alone or a passenger were not disclosed.
During the investigation, a burglary was reported about half a mile away on North Rouse Road. Homeowners found two suspects, holding one at gunpoint while the other, armed, fled. Police linked the 18-year-old from Mabton, held at gunpoint, to the homicide. Although officers used dogs to track the fleeing suspect, he was not found.
In response to the homicide and other shootings, Police Chief Rob Layman reinstated the street crimes unit to target gang members. Further information about the suspects involved has not been released.