Ernestine Breanna Thomas, 21, of Fresno, California, was killed on September 22, 2020, when the Toyota Camry she was driving was struck by gunfire on westbound Highway 180 around 10 p.m. Her fiancé, Michael Garcia, who had been released from Fresno County Jail that night after a jury acquitted him of a 2019 murder charge, was also shot and hospitalized. CHP described the incident as a shootout between the Camry and another vehicle; it is unclear whether shots came from both directions and the secondary vehicle has not been located.

Investigators said Thomas was likely an innocent victim caught in a targeted attack on Garcia. The CHP indicated the shooting might be gang-related, and Garcia’s attorney suggested assailants may have been waiting outside the jail in apparent retaliation for the 2019 killing of Gregory Garza. No arrests were announced immediately after the shooting and the investigation is ongoing.

If anyone saw the Camry or the other vehicle on Highway 180 that night or has information about who fired on them, please share what is known.