School officials say the tragic death of a 15-year-old girl after a botched home invasion is not surprising, given the rise in violent crime across the city.
"The DEA has said that Tucson is essentially a warehouse for drugs to be shipped out across the country," said Sunnyside District Security Coordinator Sixto Molina, a law enforcement officer for more than three decades and the former South Tucson police chief.
"That drug industry breeds other violent crime and it affects all of us in the Tucson area," he said.
Brenda Arenas was shot in the head Wednesday by a man fleeing from a home invasion who attempted to carjack the vehicle her mother was driving, police said.
Her death came on the eve of the first day of school. Brenda was going to be a sophomore this year at Sunnyside High School.
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"I'm not surprised that something like this has happened because you see it all over the city," said Sunnyside High School Principal Raul Nido. "However, it saddens me that it's right in our backyard."
The Tucson Police Department recently conducted a presentation in which it estimated that one of every four home invasions goes unreported, Molina said.
In 2008, there were 150 home invasions reported in the city of Tucson. Through Aug. 5, there have been 72 reported home invasions this year.
The number of home invasions has slightly decreased compared with this time last year, said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.
"Even 72 is 72 too many," he said. "It's still a matter that concerns us deeply."
In Wednesday's incident, at least six armed men in dark clothing entered a home in the 6100 block of South Southland Boulevard in search of drugs and money, Pacheco said. But they quickly learned that the south-side home they broke into was the wrong house.
They ran outside and came across Brenda, her mother and her 3-year-old sister who happened to be driving by, Pacheco said.
He said one of the men approached their car, fired through the rolled-up driver's side window and struck Brenda — who was sitting in the front passenger seat — in the head.
The men then left the scene in a silver or gray Dodge Durango, Pacheco said.
Brenda's mother drove to a Circle K at South Park Avenue and East Bilby Road, where a clerk called 911.
Brenda was taken to University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 8:50 p.m.
Brenda was a hardworking student, said Sunnyside Principal Nido.
"It's very sad," Nido said. "I have two daughters myself, and I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to lose one in that way."
He said news of Brenda's death brought a somber mood to what is normally an exciting start of a new year.
A team of counselors was on hand to speak with students.
Jose Luis Baca, the yoga and ballet folklorico instructor at Sunnyside, said Brenda Arenas was "a good student who loved yoga."
She was always helpful in class, he said.
Neighbor Rebecca Eckard saw Brenda outside of her house the night before the shooting, she said.
Eckard described Brenda as a "real nice girl" who was polite.
Brenda's family would watch Eckard's house when she was away. The family had lived on the block for about a year, she said.
"The whole family was real nice," she said.
No arrests had been made Thursday.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME.
Home Invasions
