The family of a Louisville woman says they are still in shock after a shooting over the weekend left the mother and her unborn child dead.Nyota Bawili, 39, was shot and killed around 2 a.m. Jan. 9 at her home.”The saying being at the wrong place at the wrong time really lost its meaning because this family was at the right place at the right time, and still,” relative Roland Butsitsi said.Her family said Bawili, a mother of seven, was sitting in her living room around 2 a.m. with her husband and her 13-month-old child just feet away when gunfire erupted. Butsitsti translated for Bawili’s husband Patrick Pili Pili.”All of a sudden they heard a gunshot and then they looked around and his wife was on the ground,” Butsitsi said.Much of the shock for the tight-knit Congolese community comes from knowing Bawili came to the United States from her war-torn home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo nearly six years ago for a better life. Butsitsi said Bawili had been in Louisville six months after moving from Florida. Butsitsi explained Bawili’s husband is now trying to figure out how to move forward.”It really left him with a big scar and big task,” Butsitsi said. “He or she took his best friend away and as a widow of seven kids, with the last being a 13-month-old, he doesn’t know where to start or where to finish.”In the meantime, much of the grief Bawili’s husband is feeling is coupled with confusion wondering why his wife and their unborn child’s American dream was cut short.”He couldn’t tell what happened,” Butsitsi said. “If it was an accident or if they were targeted but knowing that they have no issue with anybody in this city, there’s more questions to be asked than answers to be given.”The family is hopeful whoever is responsible will come forward so they can get justice and closure.On Tuesday, the LMPD also confirmed that another woman killed in a shooting this month was also pregnant. Jakia Holt, 36, died at UofL Hospital after she was shot on Jan. 3 near the 4200 block of Northwestern Parkway.Holt was found shot in a car and taken to the hospital.Deadly shooting: Coroner identifies woman who died after being shot in Portland neighborhoodThe shootings involving Holt and Bawili are not related, but the LMPD is hoping their cases will shine some light on the effort to find justice. Officials confirmed that because the women were pregnant, each incident will count as two homicides, meaning there were a total of four victims.No arrests have been made and detectives have not released details about the shooter(s).LMPD is asking anyone with information to call 574-LMPD or visit their anonymous online tip portal here.
The family of a Louisville woman says they are still in shock after a shooting over the weekend left the mother and her unborn child dead.
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Nyota Bawili, 39, was shot and killed around 2 a.m. Jan. 9 at her home.
“The saying being at the wrong place at the wrong time really lost its meaning because this family was at the right place at the right time, and still,” relative Roland Butsitsi said.
Her family said Bawili, a mother of seven, was sitting in her living room around 2 a.m. with her husband and her 13-month-old child just feet away when gunfire erupted. Butsitsti translated for Bawili’s husband Patrick Pili Pili.
“All of a sudden they heard a gunshot and then they looked around and his wife was on the ground,” Butsitsi said.
Much of the shock for the tight-knit Congolese community comes from knowing Bawili came to the United States from her war-torn home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo nearly six years ago for a better life. Butsitsi said Bawili had been in Louisville six months after moving from Florida.
Butsitsi explained Bawili’s husband is now trying to figure out how to move forward.
“It really left him with a big scar and big task,” Butsitsi said. “He or she took his best friend away and as a widow of seven kids, with the last being a 13-month-old, he doesn’t know where to start or where to finish.”
In the meantime, much of the grief Bawili’s husband is feeling is coupled with confusion wondering why his wife and their unborn child’s American dream was cut short.
“He couldn’t tell what happened,” Butsitsi said. “If it was an accident or if they were targeted but knowing that they have no issue with anybody in this city, there’s more questions to be asked than answers to be given.”
The family is hopeful whoever is responsible will come forward so they can get justice and closure.
On Tuesday, the LMPD also confirmed that another woman killed in a shooting this month was also pregnant. Jakia Holt, 36, died at UofL Hospital after she was shot on Jan. 3 near the 4200 block of Northwestern Parkway.
Holt was found shot in a car and taken to the hospital.
Deadly shooting: Coroner identifies woman who died after being shot in Portland neighborhood
The shootings involving Holt and Bawili are not related, but the LMPD is hoping their cases will shine some light on the effort to find justice. Officials confirmed that because the women were pregnant, each incident will count as two homicides, meaning there were a total of four victims.
No arrests have been made and detectives have not released details about the shooter(s).
LMPD is asking anyone with information to call 574-LMPD or visit their anonymous online tip portal here.
