MESA, AZ — ABC15 is learning new details about 20-year-old Elena Hernandez, who police say was shot accidentally Monday by a 16-year-old.
Mesa police said the shooting happened inside a car at an intersection near the Superstition Springs Mall.
“She was a very special girl whether she knew it or not,” said Elena’s mom Windsong Garcia-Harris.
Elena’s parents describe their daughter as bright and beautiful.
Tuesday the family flipped through photos. “We just want everyone to know that my daughter was very bright, young, strong, able,” said Elena’s dad Frank Hernandez Jr.
“She didn’t deserve this,” said Garcia-Harris.
Elena was born in Colorado and moved to Mesa within the last few years to be with her dad.
Her mom flew in as the family grieved.
“For her to die the way that she did is very sad,” said Frank. “It’s hard dying at the hands of a 16-year-old.”
Elena’s dad said he had been concerned with the people his daughter had been hanging out with.
Monday, the 20-year-old was a passenger in a car along with a 16-year-old when she was shot.
The car stopped at an intersection near the Superstition Springs mall in Mesa.
“We heard a bunch of sirens and looked over her,e saw an officer pull up in front of this truck,” said a man who didn’t want to share his name.
He said he and his family were leaving the mall when police arrived on the scene, and tried to save Elena.
“They laid her down and gave her CPR for a couple minutes, and you could see a bullet hole going out of the window,” said the man.
Mesa police told ABC15 that the driver called 911 and at first, officers thought the bullet had been shot from outside the car.
But when they arrived, they realized it came from inside the vehicle.
The teen ultimately told police he was playing with a gun in the backseat when he “accidentally” pulled the trigger.
“At first he was laying out on the sidewalk in distress like he was upset,” said the man. “A couple minutes later when we pulled out he was in handcuffs sitting by a cop car.”
Police told ABC15 that the teen tried to hide the gun in a nearby bush.
Mesa police recommended multiple charges for the teen, including manslaughter and tampering with evidence.
Elena’s family said they want to see justice for their daughter.
“If he’s responsible enough to handle a gun, he’s responsible enough to be tried as an adult,” said Garcia-Harris.
Mesa police told ABC15 they are still conducting interviews and investigating the shooting.
Elena’s family does have a GoFundMe to help take her back home.
