Fundraiser car wash held in memory of woman who was shot and killed outside Phoenix nightclub

Loved ones gather for carwash fundraiser as investigation into deadly shooting outside nightclub continues

Three weeks after a shooting outside a Phoenix nightclub killed a 23-year-old woman, friends and loved ones gathered for a charity car wash to raise money for a higher reward, as well as to being awareness to the still-unsolved case.

PHOENIX - As Phoenix Police detectives try to solve a murder that took place three weeks ago, a fundraiser was held on Aug. 8 in a bid to boost the reward offered for information in connection with the deadly shooting.

Shooting killed woman outside nightclub

The shooting happened near 17th Street and McDowell during the early morning hours of July 18. When officers arrived, they found a woman, identified as 23-year-old Destiny McClain, with a life-threatening gunshot wound.

"You hear five rounds go off. Might have been more," said Rafael Martinez, in a phone interview. "We ran to her and they started administering CPR. I was holding her wound with the shirt and wiping the blood from her nose and mouth. We’re just trying to get her pulse going until the paramedics got there, doing what we could to keep her alive."

McClain was taken to the hospital, where she passed away.

"This is the only time she actually left the house and she didn't make it home. Destiny wasn't the type to be in the streets. Destiny was usually at home. This was her trying to be a friend to someone and it cost her her life," said the victim's mother, Brenda Gilliam Miller.

Police are not sure if the shooting was targeted or merely a random event. Martinez, however, believes the nightclub in the area where the shooting happened, Karamba, was targeted.

"Everyone from Phoenix knows what that is, and for someone to think it’s OK to do that, it's very disturbing, especially in this day and age. A woman’s life was cut short, but they need to find the suspect and bring closure to this family," said Martinez.

Fundraiser proceeds will go to Silent Witness

On Aug. 8, a fundraiser car wash was held at the nightclub Charlie's in Phoenix to boost the reward offered, as well as raising awareness about the deadly shooting.

"Pretty much all the money that's being donated today is going toward Silent Witness to help her case," said McClain's sister, Bryana McClain. "Here to support her, try to bring awareness and hopefully get more people to come forward to help."

Bryana said her sister was a loving person who was always there for friends and family.

"My sister was very goofy. She loved Winnie The Pooh. She loved her dog. She cared about people. She was always there for people, even if they weren't the best for he,r be a good friend a good sister," said Bryana. "Everything was a joke with her. We laughed all the time. Any time we were around her, it was a comedy show."

Anyone with information should leave an anonymous tip by calling Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS. Spanish speakers can leave an anonymous tip by calling Testigo Silencioso at 480-TESTIGO.

Si tiene alguna información sobre este caso, llame a la línea de Testigo Silencioso (480-TESTIGO, 480-837-8446).