A 20-year-old woman in Florida was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend outside of the beauty school she was a student at.
Police were called to the Aveda Institute of South Florida just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29, after Aileen Martinez was discovered in a white SUV parked outside of the building, a spokesperson from Davie Police Department told Luxury Handbag Shopping.
Officials said that Martinez was shot by a 25-year-old man that she was previously in a romantic relationship with. No other details about the man have been shared as of time of publication.
The shooter initially survived after he shot himself in the same vehicle as Martinez. However, he later died in the hospital from his injuries.
After the gunshots were fired, multiple people called 911 to report the shooting.
“Hurry, could somebody please bring a cop, somebody got shot at the Aveda Institute on University,” one person told a dispatcher, per NBC Miami. “We don’t know exactly what’s going on, we’re inside the building, we heard gunshots outside, one of the students went outside, said that they saw someone with a gun, pointing at a car, and they’re also saying they passed by the car and there’s a dead person laying down in the car.”
After Martinez was identified as the victim, her family issued a statement to NBC 6 about the tragedy.
“We are heartbroken that our daughter was taken from us. We take solace in knowing she celebrated life to the fullest while she was with us, and we find comfort in believing she is now at peace. We condemn the violence and stalking that led to this unimaginable loss,” the family said. “No parent should have to bury their child, and no one should ever live in fear for choosing to walk away from a relationship.”
A GoFundMe page has since been set up to help raise money for Martinez’s family in light of her passing.
“Aileen was a student at Aveda Institute of South Florida where she was studying cosmetology. She also studied at a Miami music school for the past 4 years, frequently performing with bands at local events,” fundraiser organizer Rachel Tracey wrote on the page.
Martinez was described as a “shining light in her family’s life” and was “inseparable” with her brother and sister.
“She loved rock n’ roll, thrift shopping, playing computer video games and discovering new makeup tricks. Her favorite color was jade green, which is fitting because it symbolizes peace & calm and love & harmony, all traits that represent Aileen,” Tracey wrote, of her late friend.
The GoFundMe page also reflected on how the Martinez family was handling the death. “As you can imagine, her family is dealing with a tremendous grief, having lost their eldest daughter so unexpectedly,” the page stated.
“We are asking the community for support with funeral and burial expenses, to help ease the financial burden as the family focuses on grieving and honoring Aileen’s life,” Tracey added. “Funeral and burial arrangements are underway and will be provided once they are set.”
