A Michigan family is mourning the death of 20-year-old Sarah Carroll, who was one of two people killed in what police say was a murder-suicide.
Carroll was found dead by Westland, Mich., authorities who responded to a call about the shooting on Saturday, Aug. 30, the City of Westland Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement.
Police did not release the victim’s name, but her family identified her as Sarah Carroll, according to WXYZ, FOX 2, and Local 4.
Authorities say the shooter called 911 and reported that he had shot his ex-girlfriend, Westland Community News reported. The man then shot himself and was found dead next to Carroll, police said.
A witness told Westland Community News that their son was at the apartment complex that night when Carroll confronted her ex-boyfriend. The man then pulled out a shotgun, shot her, and turned the gun on himself.
Carroll’s family confirmed the shooter was her ex-boyfriend and said he had been stalking her for two months, according to FOX 2, WXYZ, and Local 4. Her mother, Jennifer Thomas, said Sarah was in the process of getting a protection order against him.
Sarah, who was studying to become a physician assistant, is remembered as being funny, hardworking, and loved by many, Local 4 reported.
“She was loved by everybody. Everybody she met,” her father, James Carroll, told the outlet. “She was wonderful. I’m going to miss my baby.”
Her mother Jennifer added, “She was alive, she was funny, she was smart, she had everything going for her.”
A GoFundMe has been created to help with funeral expenses. The fundraiser describes Sarah as “full of life — smart, brave, strong, and with a smile that lit up every room she entered.” It adds, “She was only just beginning her journey, and losing her at such a young age is something no family should ever have to go through.”
