Popular influencer Yarely Ashley Hermosillo was fatally shot in front of her toddler and partner after getting caught up in a road rage incident involving other drivers in Glendale, Ariz. She was 27.
The social media star, who boasted more than 144,000 followers on Instagram, was struck by a stray bullet with her four-year-old son next to her during the altercation Friday.
The road rage incident kick-started after two other drivers got into a heated dispute at a red light stop, prompting Jesus Preciado Dousten to allegedly open fire.
Glendale police have arrested Dousten, 33, on several charges including second-degree murder in connection with Hermosillo’s death, local outlet AZFamily reports.
Officials said Dousten, who was driving a pickup truck, got into a fierce exchange with another driver before whipping out a handgun and firing a random shot.
According to police, the shot entered Hermosillo’s vehicle through the passenger-side window and struck her in the head as she pulled up in the lane beside him, unaware of the danger.
The social media star, who was sitting in the passenger seat while her partner drove, was then rushed to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
“My question still is, why would you just randomly shoot the other way? He obviously didn’t know the other car was there,” Glendale Police Sergeant Brian Hoskins told the local outlet.
“That’s the thing, as gun owners, you have to know where you’re shooting, what you’re pointing at. You know, those are the responsibilities of being a responsible gun owner. You can’t just fire rounds randomly throughout. Specifically, a high, highly populated city.”
Hoskins added that Dousten was identified as the owner of the vehicle involved in the shooting.
After cops obtained a warrant to search his apartment, two handguns were discovered and Dousten was arrested.
The Post has reached out to the Glendale Police Department for comment.
The influencer was known for regularly sharing cooking and lifestyle videos on her social media accounts, which in total had amassed over 300,000 followers across Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Hermosillo’s heartbroken loved ones have since kick-started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for funeral expenses.
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The content creator was remembered as “a loving wife, a devoted mother, and a beautiful soul whose light touched everyone who knew her.”
“She leaves behind her husband and their 4-year-old son, who now face an unimaginable loss,” the page reads.
“Yarely’s greatest joy in life was being a mother, and she poured her heart into caring for her little boy.”
“She was an innocent victim caught in the middle of a road rage incident between others, leaving her family and friends devastated,” her family added.
