A 22-year-old Latin music artist and social media influencer was fatally shot in an ambush-style attack in the Northridge section of Los Angeles, early on Saturday, police said.
The victim of the assault was identified as Maria de la Rosa, who went by the stage name DELAROSA. Authorities say she was sitting in a parked car with others before the attack.
Witnesses told officers that the suspects sidled up to the car before opening fire.
Multiple shots were fired around 1.25 am, according to the LAPD. The wounded singer was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The two other people in the car were injured; their respective conditions have not been made public, according to ABC Los Angeles. It’s not clear if the others in the vehicle were hit by gunfire.
No arrests have been made in the case, and authorities have not revealed a motive.
De la Rosa had just released her debut single, ‘No me llames’ (’Don’t Call Me’), in August.
Her Instagram page, which has amassed more than 40,000 followers, recently featured a photo of her in a recording studio with an electric guitar with the caption, in Spanish, “Busy cooking in the kitchen.”
Fans and members of the Latin music community have paid tribute to the rising star following confirmation of her death.
Among them were producer Jimmy Humilde and Juan Moises, lead singer of Los Gemelos de Sinaloa.
In a message posted in Spanish, music producer and engineer Times J Martinez described her as gifted and full of promise, adding: “Me duele que haya sido con violencia,” which translates to “It hurts that it happened with violence” in English.
A woman named Deyanira De La Rosa, who appears to be related to the late singer, shared several Instagram messages paying tribute to her.
One man, Devin Christiansen, wrote that the singer helped him find an agency to jumpstart his career and said he “couldn't be thankful enough to have met her at a time when I was at my lowest”.
He added, “I am truly sorry for your loss. God has received an angel. I remember how much you would talk about her future and how proud of her you were. In this time l ask for all of you to pray for her and the family.
“No words can ever express this type of loss and pain. God I ask you to lay your hands on this family and guide them through peace.”
