Great-great-grandmother fatally shot while asleep in home, family says
BURIEN, Wash. (KOMO) — An 88-year-old great-great-grandmother was shot and killed while she was sleeping upstairs inside her home in Washington state Wednesday morning.
The family of María Teresa Contreras Herrera, whom they called "Gramita," said the 88-year-old was one of 14 people sleeping inside when bullets pierced through the home shortly after midnight. The house sits in a cul-de-sac, with children’s toys strewn in the front yard.
According to an emailed statement from Herrera's family, the 88-year-old is survived by six children, 24 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and “105 other family members.”
Investigators placed more than 70 evidence markers outside of the home and in the street Wednesday. Neighbors reported hearing multiple gunshots, and King County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered several rounds hit the home.
Two neighbors said one of the woman’s grandchildren ran from the house shortly after the gunfire erupted and said his grandmother was bleeding. The neighbors, who asked to remain anonymous, said they both have some medical training and attempted to help.
Deputies and medics also attempted life-saving measures, “but unfortunately, the female did not survive,” the sheriff's office said.
The same two neighbors who tried to help Herrera said they later looked at surveillance video and described seeing four people wearing hoodies and masks shoot up the house. Every window in the front of the home and the front door appeared to be hit by bullets.
“My Grandmother made sure she prayed for us, blessed us on our way out, every time we were off to work, the store, anything she was there at the window praying,” Herrera's family said. “Those prayers protected every occupant that horrific night. God saved us. She saved us.“Our hearts are heavy, but we’re here grappling with the love she had & and gave to us. My Grandmother was healthy both physically and mentally. We had no doubt she would live for 100+ years. She did not deserve this brutal, cruel ending. No human does.“May any part, even just a little part of this story, touch your hearts and help us continue fighting for justice, for our grandmother but also for those you have lost due to violence."ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmp5mknryvedaoqaWcX5y%2Fpq3TZp6rnZGpeqi%2BwKebpqeknbKzecWaq5qknK56tLTOrWSwoJmhsm6t0qWcnqhdnrtutM6mnGaekaK2rcWMrJiyq12ZsqLAx2agp66VqMGqs8CtoKimXaLCs7DEq2Shp52esKqwxGacr6GUmruksYycqaKllWLDqrvLnqWcnV2srrS0yKeeraeeYsC1rdOeZJutop6yr3nGrqWsZZKqua2x06w%3D