A woman was shot many times as she was leaving work on Friday in Louisiana before the assailant turned the gun on himself in what the police are calling as a “domestic violence situation.”
According to the police, on June 30 at around 8:00 p.m., Ashley Yates, 35, was found outside a store in Westport Village in Graymoor-Devondale.
Robert Schroeder, the chief of police in Lyndon, stated that “when we found her, she was being treated for her gunshot wounds by some civilians.”
Ashley was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Schroeder described the killing as a “domestic violence situation.”
Andrew Thompson, the victim’s brother, said Ashley “had every reason to leave the person who did this, and her life had been threatened before, but she was stuck in a cycle and kept going back to this individual.”
The suspect “knew where she was going to be and what time she was going to get off, and he waited for her,” according to Thompson, WHAS11 said. I believe she is in heaven, and he will have to answer to the same God for what he did.
According to police, the unnamed suspect killed himself on Saturday.
According to a statement from the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department that PEOPLE obtained, “We believe the suspect from the murder of Ashley Yates committed suicide Saturday evening.” Our case is finished because the offender was killed.
Do you want to be informed about criminal news? Sign up for PEOPLE’s monthly True Crime newsletter to learn about intriguing unsolved cases, ongoing trial coverage, and breaking crime news.
There is a GoFundMe page set up to help with Ashley’s funeral costs.
She received praise for having a “beautiful soul” and being “big on her faith.”
According to the webpage for the fundraiser, “She was always talking about her walk with Christ.” She even stated, “Every day is a gift from God; that’s why we call it the present,” at the top of her Facebook profile. She has demonstrated the value of both time and life on Earth. Since there is no promise of tomorrow, she made the most of each day. She made an extra effort to make others smile and laugh. She had a deep love for him. Because of the memories we have of her, we have all learned to smile despite our losses. We will never forget her being here. We are happy that we shall one day be reunited because she is now our angel.
Ashley, according to Thompson, is his most steadfast ally.
He continued, “That was my best friend in many ways. She came to my stand-up comedy shows, and we often got into mischief together. She had the greatest faith in me and was my biggest ally. She was a role model for everyone due to her beauty, friendliness, and compassion.
According to Schroeder, he advises victims of domestic abuse to seek help.
“From the standpoint of the police, we commonly see incidences of domestic violence in the area. According to the official, we strongly advise anyone who has experienced domestic abuse or suspects they may be a victim to contact the police or one of the many groups that are eager to assist them.
Even while it was out of the ordinary for this neighborhood and specific retail center, the incident serves as a reminder that anything can happen anywhere. And as a species, we must turn away from violence and return to respecting and defending one another.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, get in touch with the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or online at thehotline.org. Calls are completely free and private. There are more than 170 languages available on the helpline, which is available 24/7.