A beauty school student from Florida was tragically shot outside her school by an ex-boyfriend, who had been accused of stalking her, before he took his own life in what officials are calling a “sudden act of violence” on Tuesday.
Eileen Martinez, just 20 years old, was discovered in a white SUV parked at the Aveda Institute of South Florida in Davie after police responded to reports of a shooting shortly after 2 p.m.
Authorities identified the shooter only as a 25-year-old man who had a previous relationship with Martinez, the aspiring hairdresser.
Martinez was sitting in her car when the gunman approached and opened fire. It’s reported that he then turned the gun on himself.
Initially, he survived his self-inflicted wound and was taken to a local hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries.
This daytime murder-suicide incident led to nearby schools, including St. David’s Catholic School and Know-It-All Preparatory School, going into lockdown as students and staff heard the gunfire from less than half a mile away.
A 911 call captured the urgency of the situation, with one caller stating, “Hurry up, somebody please bring the police. Someone has been shot at Aveda University Research Institute.” Witnesses reported hearing shots and seeing someone with a gun targeting a vehicle.
Martinez’s parents expressed their heartbreak at their daughter’s passing, describing the event as a devastating “sudden act of violence,” after their daughter had reportedly been stalked.
In a statement, they shared their sorrow, saying they find some solace in knowing she lived life fully. They condemned the violence and stalking that led to this loss, emphasizing that no parent should ever have to bury their child.
While the exact circumstances and motives surrounding the murder-suicide remain unclear, it has been confirmed that Martinez was a student of cosmetology, having also spent four years at a music school in Miami, performing with local bands.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the family with funeral costs, highlighting the deep sorrow felt by her loved ones, who described her as a bright light in their lives. She was passionate about rock music, thrift shopping, video games, and makeup, with a favorite color that symbolizes peace and harmony.
