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By Michael McCutcheon
OAKLAND, CA – Three suspected gang members have been charged with murder and a host of other crimes following the I-880 freeway shooting and death of five-year-old Eliyanah Crisostomo last weekend, according to Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Y. Price on Friday.
On April 8, Eliyanah and her family were driving along Interstate 880 to attend a family dinner when she was shot and killed. The bullet pierced her heart and she died next to her brother.
Humberto Anaya, Kristo Ayala Valderrama and Emmanuel Alex Sarango were in a red Honda Accord which was later found in Santa Cruz, after which they were arrested and each charged with murder and seven counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle.
According to a press release released by the DA’s office, the three accused are Fremont Sureño gang members who fired into the car believing it to belong to a rival gang.
“My heart goes out to Eliyanah’s family,” stated DA Price. “There is no reason young children should die on our Bay Area freeways. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable. We will not stand for gun violence and these three defendants will be held accountable for their despicable actions.”
All three accused were further involved in crimes that took place earlier in the day. Each has been charged with assault with a semiautomatic firearm while Anaya and Valderrama have the additional charges of felony carrying a concealed firearm within a vehicle and felony carrying a loaded firearm in a city.
The three allegedly participated in a drive-by shooting only 15 minutes prior to the freeway murder, though that shooting victim was unharmed.
What will probably be controversial about this case is whether she pursues gang enhancements. Apparently attorneys in the office have requested them. The press release itself seems to say the shooting was to “carry out a crime for the benefit of a gang”. This could be a potentially big decision for her and I doubt any “internal decision” about gang enhancements will stay internal.