19-Year-Old Female Shot and Kidnapped at Penn Park in Whittier
On Sunday, Aug. 20, the Whittier Police Department posted on their Instagram that a 19-year-old female had been shot and kidnapped from Penn Park in Whittier, California earlier that morning.
According to officials, an adult male witness had reported that he, along with his companion–a teenage girl who has now been identified as 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez–were approached and fired at by an armed suspect while at the park in the male’s vehicle. The witness says he ran from the alleged location and upon returning back to his vehicle, he discovered blood and his companion, Vasquez, to be missing.
In emerging details, Vazquez is a resident of Los Angeles County and is described as a female, Hispanic, 5’3”, and weighs 103 pounds. She has “brownish” red hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black long-sleeve crop top, khaki pants, and black low-top Converse shoes. Vasquez has identifiable tattoos of “Edlyn” on the back of her neck, an Aries constellation on the top of her right hand, and a belly button piercing.
Synonymous with the report, KTLA 5 News provided further information regarding the incident on Monday, Aug. 21. News reporter Rick Chambers states, “Family members say the 19-year-old Vazquez was with her boyfriend when another vehicle suddenly pulled up and fired a shot, striking Andrea. They claim that the boyfriend ran to another couple in the park for help.” The same scene described in the police report was also referenced; when the male adult returned, he found blood on the ground.
When interviewed, Edlyn Vazquez, the sister of the victim, told KTLA 5 News that she traced Andrea’s phone early Sunday morning to a “field just off the 10 Freeway in Moreno Valley and found more blood but no sign of Andrea.” She further stated when interviewed by Fox 11 News, “I got there about 20 minutes after the location stopped. I called the cops there and they had a search crew, K-9s, drones, and everything around that area. Unfortunately, that is when [Hurricane Hilary] hit that night so it was really hard to do anything else.”
Police officer Thomas Mattsson followed up for a comment on this new information regarding the alleged last known location of the victim, stating, “We are still actively investigating the case and are following up on several leads.”
Family and friends of Vasquez held a prayer vigil on Monday night at the exact location where Vasquez disappeared in Penn Park. Anna Vazquez, the victim’s mother, is seen pleading with cries, “Please help me. I need my daughter back. She is the youngest…She’s my life. She’s just a little girl. She’s everything for me.” Edlyn Vazquez pleads alongside, “She doesn’t deserve this. Just let her go. Drop her off anywhere, the hospital. Just please find it in your heart to just please let her go.”
According to the Whittier Daily News, the Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar shared, “We have a team of detectives following up on leads and information, trying to locate her whereabouts and the individual involved in her disappearance.” Bar then states, “We do not have a suspect description to share at this point.”
With this information, officials are asking the public if there are any witnesses who were present at Penn Park in Whittier (located at 13950 Penn St.) between the hours of 11 P.M. on Aug. 19, through 1 a.m. on Aug. 20, or general public eyewitnesses that may know any information concerning this incident, are being strongly encouraged to contact the Whittier Police Department’s on-duty watch commander at 562.567.9255. Or witnesses can report information to Detective Jose Bolanos at 562.328.8504. Or Detective Tom Nordbak at 562.244.0054. There is also an anonymous crime tip line that can be used to provide information, 562.657.9299.
If a student on campus should feel unsafe or have an emergency, contact Campus Safety’s emergency line at 562.907.4911. Campus Safety can escort you to your dorms or vehicles if needed. When asked for further details on the increase in security on campus or if the security cameras throughout campus are activated, Campus Safety did not comment.
This story is still developing and may be updated with new information as the story progresses.
Update: Tuesday, Aug. 22.
An arrest has been made in connection to the shooting and kidnapping of 19-year-old Andrea Vazquez. Detectives have arrested 20-year-old Gabriel Sean Esparza, a Whittier resident, who is now being booked at the Whittier Police Department jail on murder and kidnapping charges with no bail.
Detectives from the Whittier Police Department and the LADA Community Violence Reduction Team arrested Esparza at his workplace in Lakewood on Monday, Aug. 21 at about 3 P.M. A weapon that detectives believe was used during the crime, along with Esparza’s vehicle, a 2013 White Toyota Tacoma Truck, were recovered.
An ongoing search for Vazquez was conducted throughout the investigation and was taken throughout large open land areas in Moreno Valley. On Monday, Aug. 21, at 11:50 p.m., detectives located the body of Andrea Vazquez in a vegetation field off of Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin St. of Moreno Valley.
Investigators believe at this time that this was a random attack towards Vazquez and the male companion during the time of the shooting and kidnapping. Officer Thomas Mattson described this crime as, “a random act of violence by Esparza, who just happened to come upon them at Penn Park.” Mattson followed up saying that there is no indication of robbery taking place and investigators are not pursuing other suspects.
Detectives are not disclosing further information at this time as the investigation continues.
Edlyn Vazquez posted an Instagram story sharing her distraught, “My beautiful angel, I’m completely destroyed!! Words cannot describe this pain!! I love you with all my heart and my soul. Until we meet again my beautiful baby, R.I.P.”
A GoFundMe has been created to aid the family during this time. The GoFundMe has accumulated thus far over $24,000 with a goal of $30,000.
If students need any mental health resources at this time, the Counseling Center is available. Students can schedule an in-person appointment with the Center via phone number 562.907.4239 or email counselingcenter@whittier.edu.
This story is still developing and may be updated with new information as the story progresses.
Photo Courtesy of The Independent and Daily Mail.
