Two brothers, another man arrested in shooting of Palmdale girl
L.A. County sheriff’s investigators identified three men Thursday arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the car-to-car shooting of a 7-year-old girl in Palmdale.
Arrested were brothers Jesus Peralta, 22, and Carlos Peralta, 19, both of Palmdale, and Eduardo Diaz, 20, of Littlerock, said Lt. Dave Dolson of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The girl was identified by her family as Desirae Macias, who was described by relatives as brain-dead after the shooting. Authorities listed her as in “extremely critical condition.”
Candles, balloons and signs lined the front yard fence of her family’s home as relatives and school friends comforted each other.
“It’s not easy,” Rose Galvan, the girl’s aunt, told KTLA-TV. “But it feels good to see all these people caring about her…praying for her.”
Desirea’s aunt said Wednesday the family planned to take the girl off life support. Meanwhile, family members released a post-surgery image to KTLA-TV of her in a hospital bed hooked up to life-support machines.
The devices are the only thing keeping Desirea alive, relatives said.
“How can they do this, to a little girl?” Galvan asked. “What did they get out of this? Are they happy?”
Desirea was riding in her family’s car at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday when, according to the aunt, a group of men started a verbal altercation with her mother’s boyfriend at a gas station at Pearblossom Highway and Fort Tejon Road.
The family tried to drive away, but they were followed by the other car while being fired at, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Multiple shots were fired at the vehicle at Sunburst Drive and and Stratford Road.
But detectives said the family was unaware until the chase ended that Desirea had been shot.
Investigators found shell casings on the ground at the gas station and at two other locations, including one near the family’s home.
A short time later, deputies made a felony traffic stop on a car matching the description of the gunmen and detained the three men without incident.
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