The mother of a Puerto Rican Olympic rifle shooter has died after being struck by a stray bullet while sewing in her Connecticut home. Mabel Martinez, 56, was hit in the head on Saturday afternoon in Waterbury and succumbed to her injuries on Sunday.
Police believe the shooting was drug-related and that Martinez was an innocent bystander. The intended target, a man walking outside her home, was shot in the leg and survived. Chief Fernando Spagnolo described the incident as a 'random, tragic act of violence.'
Martinez's daughter, Yarimar Mercado Martinez, 27, competed for Puerto Rico in rifle shooting at the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 Olympics. She expressed her grief on social media, writing in Spanish: 'Why you? Why this way? You were just sitting in your little house sewing, as you always did.'
The family plans to bring Mabel's body to Puerto Rico for burial. The Puerto Rico Shooting Association is assisting with funeral costs. No arrests have been made, and the investigation continues.
