A 23-year-old man suspected of killing a San Jose State nursing student was charged with murder Friday.
Johnny Lozano appeared in court Friday at the Santa Clara Hall of Justice to be charged in the slaying.
Investigators said the victim, 19-year-old Kimberly Chico, was shot to death while sitting in the passenger seat of a car downtown.
Police also said Chico and her friend were not the intended targets of the shooting.
Chico’s family told NBC Bay Area that Chico was out with her friend celebrating their last night together before her friend went back to San Diego for school. When the car they were in drove up to the intersection of San Salvador and Second, that's when shots were fired and one of the bullets went into the car, striking Chico.
Prosecutors said Lozano pulled the trigger.
"This case is an awful tragedy," Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Anne Seery said. "What happened to this young woman...our hearts go out to them."
Lozano was arrested Wednesday for violating his parole by carrying a loaded weapon. He was also held in connection to the slaying after the arresting officer matched Lozano with a suspect description.
Police are not saying what Lozano's involvement is, but they confirm he was at the scene early Saturday morning. The gun found on Lozano has not been connected to the homicide. Investigators plan to conduct ballistics tests on the weapon.
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"We are taking all precautions to make sure the individuals are brought to court and justice is done for this young woman," Seery said.
