Rising Latin musician Maria De La Rosa, who performed as DELAROSA, was fatally shot in Northridge, California, early Saturday morning, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The shooting, which left two others critically wounded, occurred just before 1:30 a.m. while the three occupants were in a parked vehicle.
The death of De La Rosa, a burgeoning artist with a growing social media following, highlights the ongoing issue of gun violence impacting the music community and underscores the risks faced by young creatives. Police are investigating the shooting as perhaps gang-related, but a motive remains unclear and no arrests have been made.
Witnesses reported seeing two men approach the vehicle around 1:25 a.m. and open fire, striking all three individuals inside. De La Rosa was rushed to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. The conditions of the two other victims remained critical as of saturday morning, and their identities have not been released.
de La Rosa had recently begun her music career, releasing her debut single, “No Me Llames” (“Don’t Call Me”), in august. She had amassed over 40,000 followers on Instagram, where she regularly shared updates on her music and life.
Her final Instagram post, shared before the shooting, showed her in a recording studio with an electric guitar, accompanied by the caption, “Ocupando cocinando en el Stu … Ya es tiempo,” which translates to “Busy cooking in the [studio] … It’s about time.”
Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident, as reported by NBC Los Angeles, and are seeking details that may led to the identification and apprehension of the suspects.
