Isabel M Rodriguez Obituary, Death; – A young mother was tragically shot and killed on Tuesday afternoon near Sunnyside High while she was in her vehicle. The incident prompted a search for the assailant and led to lockdowns at three nearby educational institutions. Isabel M. Rodriguez, aged 18, succumbed to her injuries later at Sunnyside Hospital.
The mother of a young boy was a resident of Sunnyside and was employed at a local restaurant, as noted in a death announcement from a funeral home. “We are all heartbroken by the loss…,” expressed a GoFundMe campaign initiated by Yassarett Rodriguez.
The shooting occurred around 3:20 p.m. on the 1600 block of North Avenue, according to a statement from the Sunnyside police. Officers arrived on the scene to find Rodriguez injured inside her vehicle. Despite their efforts to save her, she later passed away at the hospital. Details regarding whether she was alone in the car or accompanied by others have not been disclosed as of Wednesday.
In response to the shooting, the Sunnyside School District implemented lockdowns at Sierra Vista Middle School, Sun Valley Elementary, and Sunnyside High School while law enforcement searched the vicinity for the shooter. These schools are located within a half-mile radius of the incident.
The lockdowns were lifted after approximately thirty minutes; however, students from Outlook Elementary who resided near the shooting site were required to be picked up from school. During the investigation, authorities received a report of a burglary occurring about half a mile away on the 400 block of North Rouse Road.
Two individuals were discovered by the homeowners, one of whom was held at gunpoint while the other, armed, managed to escape, according to Sunnyside police. Upon arrival, officers identified the 18-year-old from Mabton who was being restrained as connected to the homicide. Efforts to track the fleeing suspect using police dogs were unsuccessful.
No further information regarding the two suspects has been released. In light of the homicide and other recent shootings, Police Chief Rob Layman announced the reinstatement of the department’s street crimes unit, which will focus on apprehending gang members, as stated in a news release.
