Evelyn Rodriguez, a grieving mother who was honoured by President Trump at the 2017 State Of The Union (SOTU) address as a guest of the White House and whose daughter was brutally murdered by MS-13 in 2016 is dead. She was struck and tragically killed by an SUV on Friday at the memorial site of her daughter in Long Island, New York, exactly 2 years to her death.
She was pronounced dead at the hospital on the anniversary of her daughter’s death 2 years ago.
Evelyn Rodriguez and her husband at the State Of The Union address as the guest of The White House on January 30, 2018. Image captured by Manyika Review.
President Donald Trump who said his thoughts and prayers are with the family, tweeted, “My thoughts and prayers are with Evelyn Rodriguez this evening, along with her family and friends. #RIPEvelyn.”
Evelyn Rodriguez had become a powerful voice and advocate against gang violence. Credit: AP/Frank Eltman
According to local Police, Rodriguez, 50, was struck on Friday at around 4:00 pm in Brentwood at the site of her slain daughter’s memorial after a heated confrontation with the driver of the SUV over the site’s location.
Evelyn Rodriguez was struck and killed by an SUV at the site of her daughter’s memorial exactly 2 years to her death. Credit: AP/Frank Eltman
The site is where her daughter’s body – slashed with machetes and beaten with baseball bats – was found exactly 2 years to the day she was struck.
Eyewitnesses at the scene say Evelyn Rodriguez and another person were seen standing in the street engaged in an exchange of words with the driver of the SUV that person sped forward and struck her. The driver is said to be a relative of a person living near the memorial site
Evelyn Rodriguez (2nd R) who was honoured by President Trump attended the SOTU as a guest of The White House on January 30, 2018. Image captured by Manyika Review
U.S. Republican Congressman of that area, Rep. Peter King, (R-N.Y.), who had worked with Evelyn Rodriguez on a campaign ad, had been on his way to a commemoration at the memorial site when the news was broken to him that she had been struck and killed. He said it happened about an hour before a scheduled vigil for her daughter was to begin.
“It’s a tragedy beyond belief,” Rep. King told the Associated Press. “Everyone is in shock. What more could happen to one woman?”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1040763121571438592
The driver, presumed to be female who wasn’t hurt and remained at the scene was later arrested. Her name was not immediately released.
An AP original publication. Edited by Manyika Review.
