Woman shot and killed when ex-boyfriend ambushes her in parking lot, Michigan cops say
A man was taken into custody after shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend outside her workplace, Michigan authorities say.
It happened around 11:35 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 3, in Saline, about 45 miles southwest of Detroit.
The Saline Police Department said officers found two gunshot victims in a parking lot after being called to the location about an active shooter.
One of the victims, 40-year-old Amber Jo Thomas, died after being taken to a hospital, police said. She was the ex-girlfriend of the accused shooter.
Thomas worked at Linden Square Assisted Living Center, according to the Detroit Free Press. She was believed to be on a smoke break with a coworker when she was ambushed in a parking lot, The Detroit News reported.
“When she was walking across the street with another male acquaintance, the suspect was waiting and just opened fire,” Saline Police Chief Marlene Radzik told a WJBK reporter.
Radzik described the scene as “chaotic” when officers arrived, according to the Free Press.
Officers were having active shooter training nearby, allowing for a quick response, WWJ reported.
The accused gunman, a 58-year-old man who has not been identified as of Aug. 4, drove off in a Ford Focus. He was involved in a crash with another vehicle and was arrested after an officer deployed his taser, police said.
Charges have not been announced, but authorities said the case is being investigated as a homicide.
The male coworker who was shot was hospitalized and is listed in stable condition, police said. A woman involved in the crash had non-life threatening injuries.
Gun violence in the US
Thousands of people die every year from firearm injuries in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Firearm injuries are a serious public health problem,” officials said. “In 2020, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the United States – that’s about 124 people dying from a firearm-related injury each day.”
Firearm-related injuries were one of the top leading causes of death for people ages 1 to 44 in 2020, the CDC reported.
“More than half of firearm-related deaths were suicides and more than 4 out of every 10 were firearm homicides,” the CDC says.
The impact of gun violence, however, goes beyond the death toll, experts said.
“The effects of firearm violence extend beyond victims and their families,” according to the CDC. “Shooting incidents, including those in homes, schools, houses of worship, workplaces, shopping areas, on the street or at community events can affect the sense of safety and security of entire communities and impact everyday decisions.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2023 at 7:42 AM with the headline "Woman shot and killed when ex-boyfriend ambushes her in parking lot, Michigan cops say."