09/26/2026
PREGNANT 22-YEAR-OLD LEFT BRAIN-DEAD AFTER CANOGA PARK SHOOTING FAMILY SAYS SUSPECT WAS KNOWN TO THEM
Two sisters were sitting inside a car in a Canoga Park alley when a gunman approached and opened fire, according to their family.
It happened around 7:49 a.m. on August 23 near their home. Adriana Jiménez, 22, was 16 weeks pregnant and sitting in the driver's seat. She was shot in the head and spent nine days fighting for her life before her family said she was declared brain-dead. Her unborn baby also died.
Her sister, María Fernanda Jiménez, was also shot, including in the neck. The injury temporarily left her unable to speak, but she is expected to survive, according to reports.
The family says the shooting was especially difficult to understand because they knew the alleged shooter. Adriana's uncle told ABC7 that the suspect was someone close to the family and that relatives were struggling to understand why he would make such a decision.
Police arrested 30-year-old Walter Rodriguez Garcia in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors charged him with three counts of attempted murder. Authorities said Garcia had a dating relationship with one of the other people who was inside the car and was not injured. Police were still investigating the motive.
Adriana's death has left behind a six-year-old daughter who, according to her family, keeps asking when her mother is coming home.
That may be one of the most heartbreaking parts of this story.
The family had been looking forward to Adriana's birthday on September 11. They had also planned to celebrate with a gender reveal for her unborn baby.
Instead, they were left planning a funeral.
The family has started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses and potentially return Adriana's remains to El Salvador, where the family is from.
Now, as they grieve Adriana and her unborn child, her loved ones say they are seeking justice and answers about why this happened.
