In the middle of a Wednesday afternoon, 51-year-old Gabriela Reyes Dominguez was at her desk at the chiropractic clinic in Burien where she had worked for 18 years. Known as a pillar of her community, a loving mother, and a doting grandmother, her life was tragically cut short on September 19, 2018, by a single stray bullet that came through the window.
The violence that ended her life was not meant for her; it was the result of a gang-related conflict that erupted on a nearby street.
The events leading to the fatal shooting began with a verbal argument between two teenage gang members and a man who was walking with his son. The man, described as an "old school gangster," had exchanged words and gang signs with the teens who were in an SUV. In response, one of the teenagers leaned out of the vehicle and fired multiple shots at the man and his son. While the intended targets escaped unharmed, one of the bullets traveled a block away and struck Gabriela Reyes Dominguez, killing her instantly. The brazen shooting, which took place around 2:45 p.m. near Highline High School, sent shockwaves through the community.
The King County Sheriff's Office quickly launched an investigation. Drawing on witness statements, detectives from the Major Crimes unit identified two 17-year-old suspects, both members of the United Lokotes Sureno gang. Later that same night, a SWAT team apprehended the two teenagers as they were leaving a Burien apartment complex. Both were charged with second-degree murder. A third teenager was also arrested in connection with the shooting.
Prosecutors charged the two 17-year-olds as adults. The suspected shooter had a prior record, including convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, and had been released from a juvenile detention center just four months before the shooting. In March 2023, Adnel Kenjar, the teenager who fired the fatal shot, was sentenced to 21.5 years in prison. The defense had argued for a shorter sentence, citing his traumatic childhood and youth at the time of the crime. However, the prosecution maintained that these factors did not diminish his culpability. The other teen, who was driving the vehicle, was also charged with second-degree murder. The community mourned the loss of Gabriela Reyes Dominguez, holding candlelight vigils and a memorial service, remembering a woman who was senselessly killed while simply doing her job. Her family and local officials called for an end to the gang violence that had claimed an innocent life.
