Brooke Elizabeth Smith succumbed to injuries sustained in a shooting in Gainesville, Florida, on Tuesday, May 26
Credit: Gainesville Police Department
NEED TO KNOW
- Brooke Elizabeth Smith was fatally shot in Gainesville, Florida, on Tuesday, May 26
- Suspect Xavion Perry was found dead after a police pursuit and had a history of criminal charges
- Police believe the shooting may have been an instance of dating violence as Smith tried to end their relationship
A University of Florida nursing student was fatally shot less than three months before she was set to graduate, and the man who she had allegedly tried to break up is suspected of pulling the trigger.
On Tuesday, May 26, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers responded to reports of gunshots at Creeks Edge Condos, on Northwest 23rd Boulevard in Gainesville, ABC affiliate WCJB and local outlet Mainstreet Daily News reported.
A woman identified as Brooke Elizabeth Smith was found having sustained a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts, she died at the scene, according to the outlets.
Smith, 24, had been set to graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in nursing this August. Students and staff received a message of condolences from the college following the fatal shooting, Fox 8 reported.
Credit: Gainesville Police Department/Facebook
“The University of Florida College of Nursing learned today of the loss of one of our students. There are no words that can fully express the sorrow we feel as a community, or the depth of this loss,” UF College of Nursing said in a statement, per the outlet.
Yoga Pod in Gainesville, where Smith was an employee, announced on Facebook that it would be closed from Wednesday, May 27, amid their shared grief.
“We apologize for any disruption to your practice,” the company wrote. “We ask for your grace, as well as for prayers for peace as we navigate heartbreak and loss.”
Investigators identified Xavion Perry, 31, a North Carolina native, as the suspect in the fatal shooting, according to Mainstreet Daily News. Daytona Beach Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) began a pursuit after his vehicle was spotted later on Tuesday night the outlet noted.
Perry allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled toward a pier at the beach, per WCJB. Officers began an extensive search in an attempt to locate him.
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Officials allege that Perry was streaming on social media during the chase and referencing his suicidal intent, the outlet reported.
A body that washed up in the 3600 block of Ocean Shore Boulevard in Ormond Beach, about 12 miles north of the pier, on Wednesday, was confirmed by the Medical Examiner's Office to be Perry. According to Mainstreet Daily News, he had a criminal history of grand theft, domestic violence and resisting arrest.
Police officers have claimed the fatal shooting of Smith may have been an instance of dating violence, WCJB reported.
“Several people gave us the information,” said Art Forgey, a Public Information Officer with GPD, per the outlet. “Apparently, our victim was trying to end this relationship or distance herself from the suspect, and that's what led to the altercation where she was ultimately shot.”
PEOPLE has contacted the Gainesville Police Department, Volusia Sheriff's Office, Daytona Beach Police Department, Mayor Harvey Ward, UF College of Nursing and Yoga Pod for further comment.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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