Woman in Parked Car Slain as She Holds Baby : Crime: Stray bullet hits shopper as suspected gang member fires at rivals.

Rene Hurtado’s 18-month-old daughter was crying when Hurtado returned to her car after making a quick purchase late Saturday night at a North Hills convenience store.

Her sister-in-law and 18-month-old niece were also waiting in the car. Climbing into the driver’s seat, Hurtado, 22, turned and picked up her daughter to quiet her before driving away.

Then the shooting began. Without warning, a suspected gang member began firing at a group of rival gang members across the parking lot near Plummer Street and Van Nuys Boulevard.

One of the bullets slammed through the windshield of Hurtado’s car, striking her in the chest and just missing her daughter.

Hurtado’s sister-in-law, Brenda Wong, raced to Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, where Hurtado, of Panorama City, was pronounced dead at 10:25 p.m., Van Nuys Division Police Sgt. Harry Rosenfeld said.

Wong and the two toddlers were not injured.

“The woman was holding her daughter and the bullet apparently just missed the little girl,” Rosenfeld said.

Police could provide little information about Hurtado on Sunday. Wong and other family members gathered at Wong’s North Hills apartment Sunday but declined to discuss the shooting.

Rosenfeld said officers spoke to a witness at the scene and have a description of the gunman. Police on Sunday suggested that they may have identified a suspect, but would not release more information.

Tom Haddad, owner of Regal Liquor Market and Deli, said he heard about 10 shots after Hurtado left his store Saturday.

“First there was about five shots, and then I heard another five shots,” Haddad said Sunday afternoon.

The only visible sign of shooting Sunday was broken glass in the parking lot where Hurtado’s car had been parked.

Haddad said that after making her purchase and leaving the store, Hurtado had returned to get some change.

“Maybe if she hadn’t come back for change, she would have left before the shooting started and she wouldn’t have been shot,” he said.

Times correspondent Eric Slater contributed to this story.