Family names woman killed outside Davie beauty school: ‘We are heartbroken’

A South Florida family is in mourning after they announced memorial plans for their daughter, who was shot and killed outside a Broward County beauty school on Tuesday.

In a Thursday press release, the family of Aileen Martinez said they were “devastated by the unexpected loss of their eldest daughter and is navigating unimaginable grief during this painful time.”

“We are heartbroken that our daughter was taken from us,” her parents said in the release. “We take solace in knowing she celebrated life to the fullest while she was with us, and we find comfort in believing she is now at peace.”

The 20-year-old student at the Aveda Institute in Davie was killed on Tuesday afternoon. Her family says her ex-boyfriend was the shooter.

To help ease the financial burden of funeral and burial expenses, an online fundraiser has been set up for the Martinez family. Funeral and burial arrangements will be shared once finalized, the family said.

Martinez was a dedicated student at the Aveda Institute, where she was pursuing her passion for cosmetology, her family said, adding that she also spent the past four years studying music at a school and performed with bands at events across South Florida.

“Music was a defining part of her life and identity,” her family said.

Just after 2 p.m. Tuesday, a chaotic scene unfolded outside the Aveda Institute, where Davie Police said a 20-year-old student — Martinez — was shot and killed. The shooter, whom police only identified as a 25-year-old man, was rushed to a hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, where he died.

Though police were able to confirm that Martinez and her shooter were previously in a relationship before the shooting, the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.