Oluwabukola Pereira, a Nigerian athlete, has been shot dead during a suspected robbery at a car service centre in Lockland, Ohio.
The 30-year-old middle-distance runner was a cashier at the car service centre where she was killed by the assailant, who, according to a co-worker, made away with $1,500.
Pereira was a Master of Business Administration (MBA) student at Xavier University and was scheduled to graduate a few days before her murder.
The shooting happened on Friday, 8 May, 2026.
However, the local authorities continue to investigate the incident and are yet to officially confirm a motive for the shooting.
Don Simpson, a co-worker, said Pereira had attempted to chase the robber when she was shot twice.
“So the guy came in and robbed her, and when he ran, she ran behind him. And when they got to the back, he shot her,” the co-worker said.
Pereira was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where she competed in a handful of national championships before moving to the US.
According to James Lafferty, the man who discovered and sponsored her immigration to the US, Periera arrived in the country with only $10 and a scholarship.
Lafferty was a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Coca-Cola West Africa, and he discovered Pereira’s talent while he was based in Lagos.
Pereira had a Bachelor’s degree from Southwest Baptist University, followed by a Master’s in Communication from the University of Texas at El Paso.
