Richmond Mother Shot Dead With Kids In Car; Ex-Boyfriend Sought
RICHMOND (CBS SF) -- A woman driving an SUV in Richmond was shot dead Tuesday morning as her two young children watched, and police were asking for help in looking for the suspect.
The Contra Costa County Coroner has identified the victim as 29-year-old Rashanda Franklin.
A $2 million warrant has been issued for the arrest of Lawyer Dushan McBride, 43, of San Pablo, Franklin's estranged boyfriend, Richmond police Lt. Felix Tan said.
Raw Video: Surveillance Video Shows Cars Involved In Richmond Shooting
The suspect is a black man who is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 225 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. McBride is driving a 2007 silver four-door Mercedes-Benz S550 with paper plates, Tan said.
Around 8:45 a.m., police got calls about a disturbance in the area of 29th Street and Rheem Avenue. While officers were en route, more calls came in about a possible shooting in that area, Tan said.
Officers found a silver Jeep SUV stopped on Rheem Avenue at 29th Street. Franklin was unconscious in the driver's seat with a gunshot wound to the chest with the two boys, each under 10, in the car.
Investigators learned that Franklin was on her way to drop off her children at a daycare facility when she realized McBride was in the area, Tan said.
Franklin tried to escape, but McBride followed her. When Franklin got to the stop sign on Rheem at 29th, McBride drove ahead of her car, blocking her path, Tan said.
McBride got out of his car, walked up to Franklin, argued for a few seconds and then shot her, Tan said. McBride then fled south on 29th Street in his car.
A swarm of neighbors rushed to help after the shooting. One woman got the children out of the car and escorted them away.
Another neighbor who said his surveillance cameras captured the murder was in disbelief. "I cannot believe what happened this morning, no," said neighbor Salvador Realeheno. I went outside and we opened the door ... the lady was already dead inside the car."
"She wanted to avoid him so she continued to drive around the area," said Tan. "Unfortunately the suspect followed her in his car, a Mercedes Benz s550."
The children were said to be with family members. "They are physically unharmed," said Tan. "But the emotional toll is going to be devastating."
Tan asked the public to "help us and Rashanda's family find the armed and dangerous suspect of this heinous crime."
He said anyone with information about the suspect's whereabouts should not contact the suspect, but should dial 911 or call Detective Jason Wentz at (510) 621-1259.
TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.
