ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP — The Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting that left a 40-year-old Kingsville woman dead and a 42-year-old Ashtabula man injured Wednesday morning. The shooting happened inside a box truck the couple turned into their home. According to the victims, two men entered the box truck, attempting to rob them.
“It was like converted into a residence, very small, cramped space, but they were residing in there,” said Terry Moisio, chief deputy with the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office. “When the victim said, 'We don't have anything,' one of the subjects fired shots at them.”
The woman was shot in the chest, and the man was shot in the leg. The woman called 911, saying, 'We were hit' and continued to beg for help until medics arrived. She later died from her injuries. The man is expected to recover.
“Typically, it's quiet, never have any problems usually,” said Anthony Beninato. “It's just odd; it's an odd thing that happened.”
Neighbors News 5 spoke to said they heard shots fired. Beninato, who lives down the street, ran outside in concern.
“I get woken up probably about 5 o'clock this morning to an ambulance riding by, then I walk outside and see a sheriff ride by, and at the same time I see a gentleman walking up the road to the corner, and (he) double takes a look at the sheriff then starts jogging away,” added Beninato.
The sheriff's office said detectives are aware one of the robbers fled on foot and the other left in a black vehicle that neighbors caught on surveillance. But details at this time remain limited.
“We still have a lot of work to do, so you have the processing of evidence, cell phone searches, again getting video description of the vehicle, and trying to put everything together,” Moisio added.
The sheriff's office said this isn't their first incident in the 2300 block of Eureka Road. Years ago, sheriff's deputies were shot at the same location, and they've had multiple suspicious person calls. Patrol will remain heavy in the area until the robbers are found, authorities said.
“That area, we've had different issues in that area,” said Moisio. “Why on that one stretch of road, I do not know.”
This investigation remains ongoing, but the sheriff's office said it will need the community's help in the next coming days to identify the black vehicle that was caught on surveillance. Once investigators learn the model and the make of that vehicle, more information will be released.
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