Michelle Donato, a 26-year-old Black mother of six, was killed after a neighborhood dispute escalated into gunfire during a party at the West Bluff Townhomes in the 1300 block of West Bluff Drive. The incident occurred Monday, November 25, 2024, when a scuffle outside an apartment grew into a larger fight; pepper spray was used and more people converged on the scene. A man allegedly drew a handgun and fired four to five shots into the group.

Michelle and her mother were both struck. They got into a car and drove away but were located by police on Avenida Cesar E. Chavez just before 8:30 p.m. Both were taken to a hospital; Michelle died of her injuries and her mother survived in stable condition. Detectives recovered shell casings and later tracked a white Dodge Durango used to flee the scene; a witness had photographed its license plate and the vehicle was found abandoned and damaged in a parking garage.

Forensic testing later linked DNA from the shell casings to a person of interest, and investigators continued to build the case. Does anyone who lived near West Bluff Townhomes that night have photos, video, or information that could help clarify what happened?