66-year-old woman identified after deadly crash and car to car shooting in northwest Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The woman who was killed in a crash after a car-to-car shooting Monday evening has been identified as 66-year-old Mary Lou Flores.

The crash happened at the intersection of Shaw and Brawley Avenues around 6:30 pm.

Officers say they responded to two separate calls around this time, one for a shooting victim at a nearby Walmart and one for a crash.

After investigating, detectives learned that three vehicles were traveling southbound on Brawley Avenue when someone in a Toyota RAV4 began firing at the Nissan Sentra Flores was driving.

A 24-year-old man driving a Chevy Malibu was struck in the head and pulled into the Walmart at Brawley and Shaw avenues to call the police.

The Toyota RAV4 and Flores' car continued down Brawley Avenue at what investigators say was 60 to 70 miles per hour until both cars collided and caught fire at the intersection of Brawley and Weber Avenues.

"Traveling at that rate speed is difficult to negotiate the curve that is coming up," Lt. Paul Cervantes said.

Flores and the other occupants in the car she was in were all taken to the hospital, where Flores was later declared dead.

Police do not believe any of the other people inside Flores's car were struck by gunfire.

The male driver of the RAV4 and a female passenger both fled the scene on foot.

Officers have been unable to locate both suspects. It is unknown who was the one firing from the RAV4.

Police say the 24-year-old is still in critical condition at the hospital but is expected to survive from his injuries.

Cervantes said that the 24-year-old does have family connections to Flores, but police haven't determined how they are related.

Detectives say this incident stemmed from a prior disturbance involving all parties, and Fresno police were responding to that disturbance before diverting to the shooting.

"Miss Flores did not deserve to be involved in this tragedy," Cervantes said.

Fresno Police are investigating this incident as a homicide, the city's 23rd of the year.

RELATED: ABC30 is tracking crime and safety in communities in Fresno County and across the Central Valley.

By this time last year, there was a total of 36 homicides.

If you have any information on this incident, you are asked to call the Fresno Police Department.

Stay with ABC30 for the latest details on this developing story.

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