Remembering Jessica Joven: A Life Filled With Strength and Grace

On Monday night, a stray bullet killed 20-year-old Mariana Gómez on Fifth Street. Everyone in the area was startled. Gunmen opened fire, turning what should have been a normal night in a busy business area into a scene of panic. One of the two people that perished was an innocent bystander who was just beginning her adult life.

The Happening At first, police reports claimed that the events took place at 5:30 p.m. in a busy area with stores and people walking around. Mariana was strolling down the street, supposedly to drop off a CV in the hopes of getting a job, when gunfire rang out. Witnesses reported that a group of armed guys went to a store on purpose to hurt the owner.

As soon as they heard gunfire, they raced for shelter. Mariana was right in the center of the chaos as the people who lived and shopped there escaped for safety. She tried everything she could to stay safe, yet she still got shot in the stomach. Her neighbors soon came to her aid and brought her to a local hospital. Doctors tried to help her, but she died from her injuries in just a few minutes.

The attack also killed the merchant, who was 45 years old and was clearly the target. His death, along with Mariana’s, was the most recent tragedy in a string of violent events that have been happening in the area for the past few months.

What the cops did and who they took into custody
The

Metropolitan Police officers who were on duty nearby heard the gunfire and went immediately away. They chased the suspects and apprehended a 17-year-old boy who was considered to be engaged in the crime. Authorities said the child was armed and had a criminal record that included allegations of attempted murder and holding guns without permission.

Colonel Jorge Medina, who is in head of the Metropolitan Police, spoke to the media soon after the event.

Medina remarked, “This is a sad event that has shocked us all.” The young woman had nothing to do with the attack. She was a victim of brutality that didn’t make sense. We were able to catch one of the suspects because our officers acted quickly. Right now, he is in jail. He will be charged with murder and having a gun without permission.

The police have transported the arrested child to the Children and Adolescents Prosecutor’s Office, where they are now looking into what happened. Authorities are still looking into whether other people were directly involved in the shooting and are actively searching for further suspects.

The family is quite sad.
Mariana’s family can’t deal with the death. Her mother, who was crying, said that her daughter was a young woman full of optimism who wanted to make the world a better place.

“She was only going to send in a resume because she wanted to work and help us at home,” she claimed. “She died for no reason.” She didn’t have to die like this.

Mariana’s friends and relatives kept saying how much pain she was in and how she wasn’t in gangs or fighting. The only negative thing that occurred to Mariana was that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

People in the area want things to be different.
A lot of people are talking about how many more people are dying from guns in cities since the tragedy. People who reside on Fifth Street and in adjacent areas have been saying for a long time that they don’t feel safe because of the constant threats of extortion, gang fights, and shootings. There have been more and more calls for better security since the incident on Monday.

People who live and work in the area joined together to ask for more police, more security cameras, and better means to break up criminal networks. “We can’t keep living like this,” stated the owner of a business. “We get threats or things happen every week, and now we’ve lost a young woman who had nothing to do with any of it.” “That’s enough.”

Civil groups also yelled at the government and told it to do something right away. People who work for peace and safety encouraged the government to make gun laws stricter, add more programs to keep kids who are prone to go into trouble out of trouble, and make sure that people who live in risky neighborhoods are safer.



A Bigger Problem
More people have perished in the same way as Mariana. Statistics suggest that gun deaths are on the rise, which is especially concerning in areas where organized crime and extortion are common. Experts say that the cycle of violence will keep murdering innocent people unless jobs, schools, and the police get a lot better.
Laura Fernández, a sociologist, said that the fact that minors are committing violent crimes, like the 17-year-old who was detained in this case, shows how important it is to respond promptly. She said, “When teens join gangs, it’s a sign that both security policies and social structures have failed.” “We need plans that not only deal with the effects of violence, but also the reasons for it.”

A Sad Place
When people found out that Mariana had died, her friends, classmates, and neighbors all sent their best wishes. A lot of people said she was nice, responsible, and full of hopes and dreams. Mariana’s dreams of working and assisting her family died when she was only 20.

The Santa Cruz Funeral Home in the San Vicente area will take care of her body on Tuesday. People from the community, including friends and relatives, will all come together to say goodbye. Her funeral will be a chance to remember her and a call to action for change and justice.

Looking ahead: A lot of folks still aren’t sure if government officials will really tackle the gangs who are generating this carnage. A lot of individuals believe that promises made in the past haven’t come true. But the outrage of the community and the anguish of Mariana’s family have made calls for change even more important.

A local activist said, “We shouldn’t forget about this tragedy after a few days of news.” “Mariana’s name should mean that we need to protect innocent lives and get rid of fear on our streets.”

Final Thoughts
The senseless killing of Mariana Gómez has once again shown how violence may hurt other people. Mariana Gómez was a young woman who had huge ambitions for her life. She died on her way to send in her resume.

The deaths of her and the shopkeeper who was targeted have left a community in anguish and a society that will soon have to deal with gun violence.

Her family is still upset about her death, and her neighbors want answers, accountability, and, most importantly, change. Her tale has spread beyond her community, and it is a terrible reminder of how dangerous many places have become and how quickly they need to be made safe again.