ESCONDIDO–Authorities Wednesday arrested a 24-year-old male and a 16-year-old male for the alleged fatal shooting of a 55-year-old Escondido woman, Escondido Police Department said Thursday at a press conference.
Both suspects were charged with the murder of Kennedy. The adult male was taken to Vista Jail and the juvenile to another facility.
The adult male will be arraigned Friday at a Vista courtroom, and the juvenile will face a judge Monday at the Juvenile Courthouse. Due to his age, the juvenile’s identity has not been released.
On March 7, just after 9 p.m., Catherine Kennedy had left her church, and was driving her silver Toyota Camry east on Grand Avenue when she was struck in the head by a stray bullet, causing her to lose control and crash into a parked, unoccupied vehicle. Kennedy was transported to Palomar Hospital but died as a result of her injuries, according to Escondido police.
“Catherine Kennedy was murdered while driving through a gang confrontation,” Escondido Police Chief Craig Carter said to reporters.
The police chief clarified the incident stating that the shootings were not a “crossfire situation” of one gang shooting across the street at another gang.
“This is one gang shooting at another gang that was doing graffiti in their area, and shooting in the direction that Mrs. Kennedy was driving” Chief Carter said. He added, “This is not something that she signed up for, and sadly she’s the victim of this tragic crime.”
Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and other arrests are pending.
A private celebration of life service for Kennedy will be held Friday. Her funeral will be held Saturday.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Escondido police at (760) 839-4926 or (760) 839-4422. Leave anonymous tip at (760) 743-8477.
