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Oluwabukola Pereira, a Nigerian athlete and postgraduate student in the United States, has been killed during a suspected robbery at a car service centre in Lockland, Ohio.
Pereira, 30, worked as a cashier at the centre where the incident occurred. Reports say the suspect fled with about $1,500 after the attack.
The former middle-distance runner was also studying for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at Xavier University and was only days away from graduation before her death.
The shooting happened on May 8, but authorities in Ohio are still investigating the case and have not officially confirmed the motive behind the attack.
A co-worker, Don Simpson, described what happened, saying Pereira tried to go after the suspect as he attempted to escape.
“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,” Simpson said.
Reports said Pereira was shot twice during the incident.
Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Pereira competed in several national athletics championships before moving to the United States to continue her education and athletic career.
Her move to the US was supported by James Lafferty, a former Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola West Africa, who discovered her talent while working in Lagos.
Lafferty said Pereira arrived in the United States with a scholarship, determination, and only $10.
She later earned a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Baptist University and went on to complete a master’s degree in communication at the University of Texas at El Paso.
