Friends and family are feeling shock, sadness and anger over the killing of an Oakland wife and mother who was gunned down in front of her home Saturday as she and her husband went to ward off some possible car thieves.

Misty Smith Walton, 29, who was five months pregant with her third child, and her husband heard the alarm go off in his car which was parked on the street outside their apartment on 65th Avenue in the Millmont neighorhood around 8 p.m. Both ran outside to check and when multiple shots were fired at them.

Neighbors say it appears they may have been shot because they had interrupted a thief or thieves breaking into the husband's car. Friends say they never expected a loving wife and mother who made a difference in her community would lose her life this way. She died at the scene. Her husband was injured but survived.

A memorial was created to remember her.

"Misty is someone with a big heart and she laughed so hard. A lot of soul," said Johanna Hurtado, a close friend. "I called her. Misty, pick up the phone. She never picked up the phone. It's real. She's gone. I couldn't believe it. Why her of all the people. Why her? Why is it always the good people who go?"

Hurtado shared video with KTVU of Walton with an exercise group: Fiesty and always ready to take on challenges.


Another neighbor said it sounded like 10 rounds rang out.

"And it sounded like a separate gun of a different caliber fired some rounds as well," said one neighbor who wished to remain anonymous. She said the shooting brought out many neighbors. "Everybody was just in so much shock. It was just a very numb feeling," the neighbor said.

Family and friends say Walton was excited about having a third child, a girl she longed for. She had already named the baby Jazline.

She was mother to two sons, ages 11 and 8. Misty was an active and engaged mom. She was serving a second year as president of the PTA at Carl Munck Elementary School.

"She made everyone feel welcomed had a huge personality, huge spirit, a great laugh she really loved serving the kids, the parents, the teachers," said Anna Santos with the PTA.

Walton's sister is now caring for her two sons. The family is working on details for a memorial service. Walton and her husband were set to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary Friday.

To help the family CLICK the Gofundme.

