Tamika Haynes and son/Photo courtesy of KTLA
An innocent bystander was killed due to street violence this week. Tamika Haynes, 27, was sitting in a car when she was shot in the head by a stray bullet. The bullet came from a physical altercation that was happening in close proximity to where the vehicle Haynes was in was parked in Riverside County, California.
The victim, a resident of Hemet where the shooting occurred, was found when police arrived on the scene to address the fight. She was airlifted to a trauma center on the evening of May 18 after the shooting but eventually passed away. Haynes was 3-months pregnant at the time and also had an 8-year-old son.
Stevlyn Sandridge, a relative of Haynes, told KTLA that the victim will be missed and expressed some confusion about why the fight ended in random gunshots that ultimately killed a member of her family.
“We don’t know anything about why she was killed and why were they shooting into a crowd of innocent people.”
Haynes’ family had suffered enough. Last week, her 13-year-old sister died after suddenly collapsing. Tuesday’s shooting added weight to an already bereaved family.
Police described the event as a brawl between a few women that grew into a fight with about eight people. More than a dozen shots were fired but officials say there were multiple shootings that happened at the same time.
Tamika Haynes was one of five people who were wounded that evening. Two of the injured transported themselves to the hospital after being shot. Two men were taken by ambulance. The other four victims survived their injuries.
“We will definitely want to see someone held accountable for what happened to her,” Haynes’ relative said.
Hemet is located in Riverside County. The county has had problems with gang violence, but investigators have found no evidence that this shooting was gang-related. Police are encouraging anyone with information on the shooting to contact them.