A Nigerian athlete and graduate student, Oluwabukola Pereira, has been shot dead during a suspected robbery at a car service centre in Lockland, Ohio, United States.
Pereira, 30, was working as a cashier at the facility when the incident occurred on May 8.
Authorities said investigations into the shooting are ongoing, while the motive behind the attack has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to a co-worker, Don Simpson, the assailant allegedly fled with about $1,500 after robbing the business.
Simpson said Pereira attempted to pursue the suspect before she was shot twice.
“So the guy came in and robbed her, and when he ran, she ran behind him. And when they got to the back, he shot her,” he said.
The late Pereira was a middle-distance runner from Lagos, Nigeria, where she competed in several national athletics championships before relocating to the United States.
At the time of her death, she was pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Xavier University and was only days away from graduation.
Pereira’s journey to the United States was reportedly made possible through the support of James Lafferty, former Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola West Africa, who discovered her athletic talent while working in Lagos.
Lafferty said Pereira arrived in the US with just $10 and a scholarship opportunity.
Before enrolling for her MBA, Pereira earned a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Baptist University and later obtained a master’s degree in communication from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Local law enforcement authorities have yet to announce any arrests in connection with the killing as investigations continue.
