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Family of teen shot during home invasion fights for answers

Posted at 5:13 PM, Jul 24, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-24 20:15:38-04

The family of a teen shot and killed is now fighting for answers.

Police said 19-year-old Destiny Hernandez was shot multiple times during a home invasion July 13.

The suspects got away before police arrived.

"We still haven't been able to see our sister, so it's just unreal," said Hernandez's sister, Marlene Estrada.

Estrada said it's hard to believe Destiny isn't here.

"She was a young, very happy girl, full of life," said Estrada. "She loved to dance, do makeup."

Now a memorial sits outside the house, near 83rd Avenue and Broadway Road, where police say the shooting happened.

ABC15 found bullet holes on the front and side of the house.

Officers say Destiny died on scene. Another man was also shot but survived.

"My brother was the first to get the notification, and he was on scene within 20 minutes," said Estrada.

She said her family ended up waiting at the scene for hours.

Police said the shooting happened around 11:30 at night.

"It was just the most frustrating feeling," said Estrada. "We knew that her boyfriend was in fact shot. He mentioned that my sister was in the house but didn't give any details."

Police said multiple people were in the house when the shooting happened, so Destiny's family had hope.

"We waiting up until 5:30 in the morning to get the news that it was our sister that was deceased," said Estrada.

Hours after the shooting, ABC15 spoke to neighbors at the scene about the house and the people who lived there.

"There's always some activity like after midnight until like four in the morning," said one neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous.

"We didn't know that there were a group of teenagers renting the house." said Estrada. "When we knew she was with her boyfriend, we always thought it would be at his mother's [house]."

Her sister said Destiny did not deserve this.

"She was at the wrong place at the wrong time," said Estrada.

Today ABC15 asked police if the man who was shot is cooperating and if they could confirm his relationship with Destiny.

ABC15 also asked if they had any suspect information, but they said they have no new updates.

It's been a week and a half since the shooting, and her family said they are begging anyone with information to come forward.

"There are houses on the back, on the sides," said Estrada.

She's hoping that someone has camera footage or saw something.

"We are hoping somebody would speak up," said Estrada.

The family has a GoFundMe set up for funeral expenses.