UPDATED: BEAUMONT: 21-year-old woman fatally shot while sitting inside vehicle ID’d

UPDATE: March 19, 9 p.m. (See original story below.)

UPDATE: March 19, 4 p.m.

SEE RELATED UPDATE: BEAUMONT: Four arrested, charged with kidnapping, murder of 21-year-old

BEAUMONT – Riverside County coroner officials have identified a woman who was shot and killed while sitting inside a car Saturday, March 4.

The victim was identified as Jasmine Zuniga, 21, of Banning. She was shot while in a car in the 500 block of Michigan Avenue in Banning.

A coroner’s release indicated Zuniga was pronounced dead at 11:39 p.m., about one hour after she was shot.

Since then, no further details have been released by Banning Police Department, which is investigating the incident.

On March 19 – just over two weeks after Jasmine’s death – her mother, Dianna Zuniga, spoke about her daughter and the sense of loss and grief their family was feeling.

“We’re still in shock over the news,” Dianna explained.

Dianna spoke lovingly about how proud she was of her daughter, who herself was a mother of two young children; a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son.

Dianna said that even though her daughter had to overcome much adversity in her life, she was doing well while loving and raising her children.

“She was so caring and so loving,” Dianna explained. “And she had the cutest laugh.”

“She was so fashionable, and she was always worried about how she looked,” Dianna continued.

“And how she loved her hoop earrings!”

Dianna recalled that even as a toddler, Jasmine was fascinated with clothes and hairstyles, saying, “When she was around two, Jasmine gave her sister and brother hair cuts. She then went on to cut her own hair. She was so proud of herself.”

About the ongoing investigation into her daughter’s death, Dianna said she has not heard any new information from Banning police officials.

The young mother worked as a Care Provider at IHSS In-Home Supportive Services.

She graduated from Beaumont High School and more recently attended Mt. San Jacinto College.

A gofundme account has been established by Zuniga’s brother to help raise funds for her funeral and other expenses. During the first 14 days after it was set up, donors had helped raise $1,790.

City of Beaumont police officials are still investigating the deadly shooting and have not provided any further information regarding the fatal incident.

 

ORIGINAL STORY

BEAUMONT – Details are still emerging after a woman was shot and killed while she sat inside her vehicle Saturday, March 4. The deadly shooting happened in the 500 block of Michigan Avenue in Beaumont.

The area where the shooting happened is near numerous dirt fields, a few residential properties and several commercial properties and businesses, north of the Interstate 10 Freeway and south of E. 6th Street.

Beaumont police officers responded to the area about 10:26 p.m., after City of Beaumont emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from a nearby resident. The resident reported hearing shots fired near the 500 block of Chestnut Avenue. Chestnut Avenue is one block west of where the victim was found inside her vehicle.

When officers arrived in the area they began searching for victims or evidence related to a shooting. Officers quickly located the victim’s vehicle, at which time they found an unresponsive female sitting inside it. Officers quickly determined the woman was suffering from a gunshot wound and requested medical personnel to the scene.

The victim was transported to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff.

The victim’s identity has not been released, pending notification of her family and further investigation.

Officials did not specify if the victim’s vehicle was parked or moving when the woman was fatally shot.

Beaumont police detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the location and assumed the investigation. They were assisted by members from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Forensic Services Bureau.

The investigation is ongoing and no further information was immediately available.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Galletta at (951) 769-8500. Callers can refer to incident file number 1703B0648 and can remain anonymous. Citizens can also provide information anonymously at [email protected].

This is a developing story. Additional information will be updated as it becomes available.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.