Kathlen Romeu/Photo Courtesy of Instagram
Kathlen Romeu, a 24-year-old Afro-Brazilian fashion influencer, was killed on Tuesday, June 8, after being struck by a stray bullet in her chest. According to the Associated Press, she was
caught in the crossfire between police officers in Rio de Janeiro and alleged criminals when the shooting occurred. Pregnant at the time of the brutal event, Romeu and her unborn baby, unfortunately, died as a result of the gunshot wound.Less than a week before her untimely death, Romeu shared her pregnancy on Instagram with over 50,000 followers. Posing with her boyfriend, she stated in her glowing maternity photo’s caption that she was “happy and fulfilled” to be a new mom.
According to the Associated Press, Romeu came from a favela in Brazil, a “working-class neighborhood” known for its high crime rate. But the young model set out not to let her background define her and achieve success in her own right.
Luis Pablo Figueiredo, a local community advocate near Romeu’s Lins de Vasconcelos neighborhood, told the Associated Press about the Instagram influencer’s drive, “She was our model in the neighborhood: She came from below, started fighting, and she made it. We can’t take it anymore. We just want peace.”
Rio de Janeiro has experienced an alarming amount of violence recently, specifically shootings. So much so that a minimum of six pregnant women have become victims of gun violence in the tourist attracted-city since 2017, the Associated Press reported. In addition, a scandal erupted in nearby Jacarezinho, another favela, last month involving officers gunning down over 20 alleged criminals, leading to heightened tension in the area.
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Acknowledging the consequences of gun violence in the city, Romeu’s partner Marcelo Ramous spoke her tragic death online, according to the Associated Press, saying, “Last month, there was the massacre in Jacarezinho, now it’s Katy, and next month or tomorrow it’s another family losing someone close,″ Ramos said. “We have to speak out.
Romeu was remembered by over 100 mourning family members and friends at her wake and burial ceremonies Wednesday.
We wish her family, friends and partner the best as they continue to grieve.