PHOENIX — A woman who was shot multiple times inside a vehicle crashed into a west Phoenix home Saturday afternoon.
Officials with the Phoenix Fire Department said crews were called to the scene near 41st Avenue and Bethany Home Road around 3:30 p.m. for reports of a car crashing into a house.
When officers arrived at the scene they found a woman, identified as 23-year-old Mikayla Ballesteros, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to a hospital where she later died.
Police said the suspect and victim's boyfriend, identified as 37-year-old Carnell Cunningham, was held down by witnesses at the scene so he wouldn't run off. He was also taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries due to the crash.
No one inside the home was injured as a result of the collision.
According to police documents, a witness originally saw the couple at a gas station. During that time, the witness says the victim was being assaulted and was yelling for help because Cunningham was hitting her, was schizophrenic, and "did not know what he was doing."
The witness followed the vehicle after it left the gas station. The victim was reportedly driving erratically before crossing traffic and crashing into a home.
Police documents say a resident of the home went outside after the crash and Cunningham grabbed a gun from his waistband and threatened to kill her.
Cunningham reportedly changed his story multiple times, but admitted to shooting the victim because "he was angry and 'wanted to kill somebody' after he got the news that someone had killed his mother in California."
Police say he was booked into jail on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault.
