A grief-stricken boyfriend witnessed the final heartbreaking moments of his pregnant teen girlfriend’s life after she was fatally shot in the head during a suspected “road rage”.
17-year-old Katelynn Strate was reportedly 28 weeks pregnant when she and her 19-year-old boyfriend, Alain Cruz, were traveling by car at around 9am on August 24.
Katelynn and Alain, along with two other passengers, were cruising in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, when they encountered Barry West, who was driving in the same direction.
Exactly what happened on the road is unclear, though family friend Katie Cancienne Liebert denied early reports suggesting that the two vehicles had been tailgating and brake-checking each other.
Nevertheless, a shot was fired, striking Katelynn in the passenger seat.
As per PEOPLE, Liebert said of Alain: “He’s a 19-year-old kid, and he watched his 17-year-old girlfriend, who he’s in love with, get shot in the head.
“He’s the last thing she saw before she died. She was staring at him the whole way to the hospital, struggling to breathe, holding his hand.”
In the days following the tragic incident, Alain even received death threats.
“The baby’s father is getting death threats and being told that he deserves to die because he put his pregnant girlfriend in danger, when in reality, that day, he was a hero,” Liebert told PEOPLE.
Immediately after the shooting, Alain dialled 911 and drove to the hospital.
When they arrived there an emergency C-section was performed to save Katelynn’s baby. The little one miraculously survived and is reportedly “extremely strong and kicking.”
In an August 26 update, police confirmed Katelynn had passed away.
The sheriff’s office revealed in a statement: “As a result of the investigation, it was determined while West believed the occupants of the vehicle in front of him had shot at him first, evidence has confirmed there were no other shots fired in the incident and there was no weapon in the vehicle the victim was traveling in.”
West has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, multiple counts of attempted second-degree murder, one count of illegal use of a weapon, and obstruction of justice.
In the wake of her death, Katelynn’s family set up a GoFundMe fund to cover her funeral expenses and financially support her baby. It can be found here.
Rest in peace, Katelynn Strate.
READ MORE
- Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel speak out after images surface with newborn baby
- Bungee jumping mom plummets 290 feet to her death with son watching
