A 27-year-old social media influencer died after being struck by a stray bullet during a road rage incident she was not involved in, Glendale police in Arizona said.
Yarely Ashley Hermosillo was pronounced dead at a hospital following the shooting that occurred Aug. 15, at approximately 11:45 p.m. near 51st Avenue and Camelback Road, according to police.
The incident unfolded when two drivers became involved in an argument before one of them, Jesus Preciado Dousten, 33, allegedly pulled out a gun and fired a shot in a random direction, according to Glendale police spokesperson Sgt. Bryan Hoskin.
Hermosillo was traveling in a separate vehicle with her partner, 4-year-old son and mother when the bullet struck her, family members said during a news conference held Wednesday.
Dousten was arrested Aug. 16 and faces charges including second-degree murder, misconduct involving weapons, endangerment and aggravated assault. He is being held on $1 million bond with his next court appearance scheduled for Aug. 22, according to court records. No defense attorney was listed for Dousten as of Friday.
Her partner, Daniel Salgado, spoke about the devastating impact during Thursday's news conference.
"It hurts to lose your other half, but when it happens in front of you and you can't do nothing, it's a different type of hurt," Salgado said. "Yarely's life was just beginning. We just moved into our new apartment. Her social media career was beginning to take off and and that was taken from her."
Salgado described Hermosillo as the family's foundation.
"You ask anybody who knew you really, they would tell you she was the glue to the family. She was the jokester. She was that caring person you could call when you needed somebody to be with, she would drop everything just to be with you. And she was an amazing cook," he said.
He also spoke while in tears about how their young son continues to wait for his mother.
"I feel for my son. when he goes to sleep at night, he can't cuddle with her. When we go for a walk, he waits to see if mommy's coming out the house like she always would," Salgado said.
Glendale City Councilmember Lupe Conchas provided condolences to the family during the news conference while acknowledging the broader issue of violence in the community.
"Yarely, really was a devoted mother, a beloved wife, a daughter, a vibrant member of our community," Conchas said. "There are no words that can ease the pain of losing someone so suddenly and so unjustly. But I want to let the family know here that we are with you."
Hermosillo had built a following as a social media content creator with more than 100,000 followers on TikTok, where she shared recipes and lifestyle content.
The family's GoFundMe describes the shooting as "a senseless act of violence" and requests donations to help cover funeral expenses and support for Hermosillo's son. The fundraiser has collected more than $16,000 as of Friday.
"At just 27 years old, Yarely's life was taken far too soon in a senseless act of violence. She was an innocent victim caught in the middle of a road rage incident between others, leaving her family and friends devastated," according to the fundraising page.
Glendale is located less than 10 miles from Phoenix.