Pregnant SoCal Mom Declared Brain‑Dead After Fatal Shooting, Life Support Turned Off

On the morning of August 23, 2026, Adriana Jimenez, a 22‑year‑old mother of a six‑year‑old girl and six months pregnant, was sitting in a car with her sister, Maria Fernanda, outside their apartment at the corner of Roscoe and Topanga Canyon boulevards in Canoga Park, California.

Without warning, a man approached the vehicle and opened fire. One bullet struck Adriana in the head, shattering the delicate tissue and leaving her without any brain activity. Another round slammed into Maria Fernanda’s neck, tearing through tissue but, miraculously, sparing her life. She was rushed to a hospital where doctors say she will recover, though the road ahead remains long.

Adriana was rushed to a trauma center, where doctors fought to keep her alive on life‑support machines. After days of exhaustive care, brain‑death was declared. With a heavy heart, the family made the excruciating decision to remove her from life support on September 5.

“The hardest part is hearing my niece’s little girl call out for her mom,” said Leonardo Ayala, Adriana’s uncle, in an interview with ABC 7. “She was supposed to have a gender‑reveal party on September 11. The baby she was carrying also didn’t survive.”

Police identified the shooter as Walter Francisco Rodriguez Garcia, a 33‑year‑old resident of Gardena who once ran a barbershop in South Los Angeles. Garcia is an ex‑boyfriend of one of the Jimenez cousins, which means the attack was not linked to any gang activity, according to the family.

Garcia was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with three counts of attempted murder. He has pleaded not guilty, and prosecutors say the charges will likely be increased now that Adriana has died. Court records show Garcia previously faced battery and vandalism charges in 2022, from which he was acquitted.

The tragedy has spurred a community‑wide response. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to help cover funeral expenses, potential repatriation of Adriana’s remains to El Salvador, and the ongoing care of her young daughter. "Our family never imagined we would face something like this," wrote aunt Vilma Carranza on the page.

Law enforcement continues to investigate the motive behind the shooting. The Los Angeles Police Department has not released further details, but officials say they are pursuing every lead.

For now, the Jimenez family is left to grieve, trying to piece together a future without Adriana while rallying around her surviving daughter and sister.