Michelle Rodriguez, on the left, and Amy Rodriguez, on the right, mourning their mother’s death while wearing her favorite colors; Ana Moreno, inset, was shot and killed by a stray bullet on Mother’s Day weekend in Dallas, Texas in May 2023. (Screengraab via KDFW; via KXAS)
A mom taking her daughter to get a prom dress on Mother’s Day weekend was shot in the throat by a stray bullet during a shootout between two other cars and died while driving in Dallas, Texas, according to law enforcement.
Ana Moreno, 39, was taking her daughter Amy Rodriguez, a senior in high school, to get her hair done. After that, they were going to pick up the girl’s prom dress for the formal dance happening later that night.
“She was like, ‘Oh we finally get to see her get ready’ and she didn’t even get to see it happen,” Michelle Rodriguez, the youngest of the victim’s three children, told local NBC affiliate KXAS.
Other family members were waiting for the two to get back home so they could see Amy Rodriguez in her new dress, her sister said.
“All she heard was gunshots and she said my mom made a signal like she couldn’t breathe, and then she leaned on Amy’s shoulder and that’s when they crashed, and that’s when Amy said she called the ambulance,” Michelle Rodriguez said.
A GoFundMe was started by her family to help with funeral expenses.
“With heavy hearts we share that Ana was suddenly taken away from us due to gun violence,” the fundraiser started by Aura Moreno reads. “On May 13th she was driving with her daughter to pick up her prom dress. She left a son and two daughters. We want to thank everyone who has reached out to us with condolences. We will appreciate everyone’s help in putting Ana to rest.”
The incident occurred near a shopping center in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood of the largest city in North Texas. Responding officers said Moreno and three men were found with gunshot wounds. All three of the men are still hospitalized in critical condition.
“It’s hard. I just still can’t believe it,” Amy Rodriguez told local Fox affiliate KDFW of the harrowing tragedy. “I didn’t care about prom. I didn’t care about anything. I just wanted her to be okay.”
The girl said her mom motioned to her throat amidst the sound of gunfire. She said she told her mom to keep driving.
According to the Dallas Police Department, shots were coming from vehicles on both sides of Moreno’s own vehicle.
Police have yet to identify any suspects in the shooting, announce any arrests, or comment on why the gun battle occurred.
“Well, she fell on me, and when I looked at her I seen blood, and I knew,” Amy Rodriguez said.
The vehicle crashed. The daughter got out and screamed for help. One passing motorist stopped to render aid.
“I put the shirt on the wound, I lifted her up to see if I could get a response out of her, and I couldn’t,” Jacob Faz told KXAS.
“She looked panicked,” the good Samaritan told KDFW. “She was trying to get somebody to help her mom. She was scared.”
Family members rushed to the scene of the violence by using a phone locator feature. Then they followed Moreno to the hospital where she was rushed by first responders. There they were told the worst as the beloved mother succumbed to her injuries.
“It hurts,” Michelle Rodriguez told KXAS. “It really does hurt, because we all had such a great bond with my mom, and it hurts that we lost her so early. They took her from us, it’s not fair, she had so much potential, she was so outgoing, she was hard-working, she had everything.”
On Sunday, the family released red and gold balloons at the site where Moreno was shot and crashed her car.
“She loved the color red,” Michelle Rodriguez said. “Anywhere you would see her, she would have her bright red lipstick, her gold jewelry, she loved those colors. Anything you would want in a mom, it was her.”
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