A gunman opened fire on two sisters in an alleyway vehicle, leaving one woman brain-dead and her sister recovering from bullet wounds.
LOS ANGELES, CA — A morning alleyway shooting in Canoga Park left a 22-year-old pregnant woman brain-dead and her unborn baby dead, while her 26-year-old sister survived bullet wounds in stable condition, according to family members and local authorities.
The violent attack highlights mounting safety concerns across San Fernando Valley residential neighborhoods following a sudden firearm ambush. Emergency responders transported both sisters to a regional trauma center shortly after gunfire erupted in an alley. Doctors later determined that the younger sister sustained catastrophic injuries that halted brain activity and ended her 14-week pregnancy. Police officers launched a homicide investigation while working to formalize custody and criminal charges against the suspect behind the double shooting.
Officers responded to emergency calls at approximately 7:50 a.m. on Aug. 23 in the 8300 block of Northgate Avenue, located north of Roscoe Boulevard. Investigators found 22-year-old Adriana Jimenez Duarte and her 26-year-old sister, Maria Fernanda Jimenez, inside a parked vehicle in an adjacent alley. Police reported that a 26-year-old male gunman approached on foot, drew a handgun, and fired multiple rounds directly into the cabin before fleeing the scene. “Due to the severity of her injuries, doctors have given us the heartbreaking news that there is nothing more they can do to save her,” family members shared in an online statement confirming that Duarte had lost brain function and her unborn child.
First responders rushed both women to a nearby hospital emergency department. Medical staff listed Jimenez in stable condition following treatment for bullet wounds, while Duarte remained in critical condition before doctors confirmed brain death. Family members noted that Duarte was 14 weeks pregnant at the time of the attack and was also the mother of a 6-year-old daughter. Relatives revealed that a suspect known to the family was taken into custody shortly after the incident. Police officials acknowledged that detectives are reviewing evidence gathered from the alley while withholding the official identity of the suspect pending formal prosecution filings.
The fatal shooting occurred along a mixed-use residential block near major commercial corridors in Canoga Park. Local community leaders noted that the neighborhood rarely sees targeted morning violence of this nature. Family representatives stressed that the violent encounter was not connected to local street gangs or broader criminal networks. Neighbors reported hearing quick gunfire followed by screaming, prompting multiple calls to 911 dispatchers. Forensic teams spent several hours documenting the scene, recovering shell casings, and searching nearby alleys for security camera footage that recorded the approach and escape routes of the gunman.
Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department Valley Bureau are preparing their preliminary investigative report for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors are reviewing potential charges including murder, attempted murder, and fetal homicide. The suspect remains in custody as investigators re-examine physical evidence recovered from the vehicle and interview witness relatives. Court arraignment dates for the suspect are expected to be scheduled once formal charges are processed by prosecutors in the coming days.
Family members gathered near the hospital as loved ones organized community support to assist with medical bills and care for Duarte’s surviving 6-year-old daughter. Relatives expressed deep shock over the unexpected violence committed by an acquaintance. “The suspect is someone who is close to the family, and we do not understand why he made that decision,” an uncle of the victims stated during an interview detailing the family’s grief. Community advocates have requested privacy for the family as they prepare final arrangements.
Investigators continue to request assistance from anyone who witnessed the vehicle ambush or has surveillance video from Northgate Avenue on the morning of Aug. 23. Further updates on formal court charges against the suspect are expected following review by county prosecutors later this week.
Author note: Last updated September 4, 2026.