Winnie Dortch has made a name for herself as a TV reporter for WOIO 19 News in Ohio. But on Monday (Oct. 7), Dortch found herself a victim of a crime she’s reported on too many times before.
Early Monday morning, police received a call about two people arguing. But before authorities could reach the scene, witnesses say they heard gunshots, according to WOIO 19 News. When police arrived around 8 a.m, they found two people with gunshot wounds laying on the sidewalk. One victim, Bryant Carter, was pronounced dead at the scene, while Dortch was transported to MetroHealth Medical Center, where she remains in critical condition.
It was quickly determined that a domestic dispute between the two victims turned fatal when Carter shot Dortch before turning the same gun on himself, reports News 5 Cleveland. Police retrieved a weapon from the crime scene.
The exact relationship between the victims remains unclear, although police say the victims were “familiar to each other,” according to WOIO 19 News.
Kevin Elbert, a priest at the local St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, told WKYC Studios both victims were community members of Clifton Early Learning Center, a nearby children’s school. Dortch is also a mother to a four-year-old daughter, but it is unclear if her child attends Clifton.
“Its a tragedy,” Elbert said. “This is so close to home. This is a tragic event. Any loss of life is a tragic event, especially in a place that’s holy ground.”
Dortch has been a general assignment reporter for more than six years, according to her LinkedIn profile. In response to the shooting, WOIO News Director Brian Sinclair said “our friend and colleague Winnie Dortch was the victim of a brutal domestic violence attack...our prayers are with her, her young daughter, and the many other victims of domestic violence in our community. “
Dortch has undergone surgery and her family told WOIO 19 News it went well. “I want to thank the public for their prayers, thoughts and concerns,” said Dortch’s mother.