A grieving New York mother recognised by President Donald Trump at the State of the Union in his campaign against deadly MS-13 gang violence has been struck by a 4WD and killed at her slain daughter's memorial site after a heated confrontation with the driver.
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Evelyn Rodriguez was hit in Brentwood, California near where her 16-year-old daughter Kayla Cuevas' body was found beaten and slashed two years ago to the day, police said. Cuevas' friend, 15-year-old Nisa Mickens was also killed.
The community is the epicentre of the fight against MS-13 violence on Long Island.
Rodriguez and the driver, a relative of a person who lives near the memorial, were arguing over its placement, police said. Rodriguez, 50, and another person were seen standing in the street and yelling at the driver of the 4WD before the vehicle sped forward and struck her.
The driver, who wasn't hurt, remained at the scene and called 911, police said. They have not released her name.
Trump said in a tweet: "My thoughts and prayers are with Evelyn Rodriguez this evening, along with her family and friends. RIPEvelyn."
So far, there is no evidence of ties to MS-13 or any indication that the crash was retribution by the gang, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorised to discuss an ongoing investigation publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
Rodriguez spoke out against the gang and the local school district after Cuevas and Mickens were attacked with machetes and baseball bats. Mickens' body was found near a primary school on September 13, 2016. Cuevas' body was found the next day, a few hundred metres away.
The girls' alleged killers, who were arrested along with about a dozen other suspected MS-13 members, are facing murder charges that could result in the death penalty.
Australian Associated Press
