I am Taylor Dennison. A childhood family friend of mine, Eunice Rodriguez, passed away senselessly due to gun violence on June 4. Around 1 a.m., Phoenix police responded to a call about a person with a gun near 43rd Avenue and Indian School Road. Eunice Rodriguez was getting off of work around that time. Her mother had to come pick her up, due to her running out of gas.
Her mother, Eunice Despaigne, saw a man in the roadway covered in blood and stopped her vehicle near him. The man approached the car and attempted to threaten to jack their car. When they refused, he shot a bullet, which grazed my friend’s mother and ended up hitting my friend, Eunice Rodriguez, killing her instantly in the passenger’s seat. Her autistic brother was also in the car.
The man fled the scene and attempted to kidnap another woman. He has been arrested and is facing trial, but despite this, there has been little media coverage. This has been extremely devastating for all of us who love her and for her family. Nothing can heal the pain that we are experiencing but we all want her name known.