An evening that began with the promise of fun ended in tragedy for 18-year-old Lalaina Laney Baldison, a young woman with a new job and a circle of new friends. On the night of Friday, November 20, 2020, she left her Phoenix, Arizona home to attend a party, an event her mother had warned her could be dangerous. The gathering, held at an empty warehouse near 3500 West Earll Drive, was an illegal party, one of many that had been occurring in the city.
In the early hours of Saturday,
November 21, 2020, gunfire erupted at the unsanctioned event. When the chaos subsided, five people had been shot. Lalaina Baldison was fatally wounded, her life cut short just as it was beginning. The other four victims, a 17-year-old girl, an 18-year-old man, a 20-year-old man, and a 26-year-old man, all sustained injuries but were in stable condition.
Phoenix Police responded to the scene and launched an investigation into the shooting. In the immediate aftermath, they appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and apprehension of a suspect or suspects. Lalaina’s mother, Annalisa Hernandez, made a public plea for answers, expressing her profound grief and her desire for justice for her daughter. Despite the ongoing investigation and the family's quest for closure, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made or suspects identified in connection with the death of Lalaina Laney Baldison. The case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for her loved ones.
