This morning, just three blocks from my home, located in Polk County, FL, a 20-year-old mother (her name has yet to be released), just arriving at her job, was shot to death in the Spectrum Store parking lot, in Auburndale, by Derrick Brathwaite, her (estranged??) boyfriend and the father of her three-year-old child.
He had either been following her or lying in wait. The police were told by someone close to the victim, that Brathwaite had threatened her yesterday, saying he would kill her and then kill himself.
This kind of threat usually occurs when one of the parties leaves or attempts to leave the relationship. This morning Brathwaite carried out that threat, mortally wounding the mother of his child but did not succeed in killing himself before law enforcement arrived, so, knowing how things would ultimately go, he pointed his weapon at a deputy.
Domestic violence calls are known to be among the most dangerous for police officers. In this case, the 911 call was not about domestic violence but rather a shooting in a parking lot. Yet, despite the fact that it quickly became known that this was actually a domestic violence murder, “suicide by cop” took the front and center headlines and is currently the phrase being heard all over the news.
In this case, the words domestic violence, as of this writing, have yet to be published even once.
The case is still under initial investigation, of course, and, according to the Sheriff’s Dept., the cause of the “conflict” between the couple is still unknown.
While fully appreciating that law enforcement must show quick accountability to the public for their use of lethal force, and in this case, there is no doubt it was justified, it is problematic that the word “conflict” is being used to describe a domestic violence murder, and that domestic violence, which is the real story here, is taking a back seat to the “suicide-by-cop” story.
It is known that the deceased pair was not living together at the time of their deaths. Further investigation should tell if they were estranged, if the victim had recently broken off the relationship or not, and if that is what triggered the “conflict” resulting in her death and his suicide-by-cop.
Was the “conflict” the fact that this young mother was trying to leave an abusive partner and paid with her life? It is true and no myth that the most dangerous time for a woman in an abusive relationship, is when she tries to leave.
Whatever the facts eventually bear out, nothing can change the fact that a 20-year-old working-mother lost her life to domestic violence, and a precious three-year-child is left to grow up without mother or father. There is more to this story, and further updates will be posted as they become known.
More information: Man kills girlfriend, shoots himself before ‘suicide-by-cop’ in Auburndale: PCSO | WFLA
Jocelyn Andersen is an author, speaker, and content creator who combines theological inquiry, creative communication, and a strong desire to challenge beliefs that she sees as inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus and Scripture. She writes and speaks on a variety of topics including Bible Prophecy, God and Women, and Christian response to domestic violence. Her work has been featured in magazines, newspapers, radio, and television.
Jocelyn’s Links: Amazon Book Page … God and Women Column … Domestic Violence Awareness & Christian Response Column … Media
Amazon.com: Woman Submit! : Christians & Domestic Violence eBook : Andersen, Jocelyn: Kindle Store
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