AKRON, Ohio — An Akron family is speaking out and calling for justice a few days after a 34-year-old woman was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Dollar Tree store.
Ernestine Stallings was killed around 1:30 p.m. Monday, shortly after she left the store on West Market Street.
Her girlfriend, Tasha Love, said the two planned to get married, but now an unknown killer has forced her to plan a funeral.
"I'm trying to keep my faith in God, but it's very hard to keep faith in God when there's people out here committing murders," Love said.
Stallings, who worked as a FexEx driver, was remembered by her family as kindhearted and laid back. She enjoyed sports, fishing and had her own clothing line named Aduvvi.
"She is a family person. She is love," Love said.
Love and Stallings had gone to Dollar Tree to buy balloons for a birthday party honoring Love's son, but moments after they left the store, shots were fired.
Stallings was struck by gunfire. She was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General, where she died.
"When I heard it, first I thought balloons were popping, and then I looked back, and I saw smoking coming," Love said. "I didn't see the person. My back was turned. I just don't understand how a person could do this."
A witness to the shooting called 911.
"Dollar Tree, West Market near Marathon— a guy just came up with a shotgun and shot a girl," she told the operator. "He literally came up behind her and shot her like for no reason."
According to police, witnesses reported a car pulling out of the parking lot at a high rate of speed, but a description of that vehicle has not been released.
Detectives don't believe the crime was random, but they also haven't named any suspects.
"To be able to sleep with yourself after you take somebody that's a beautiful soul that didn't do anything to you, how can you do that? How are you okay doing that?" Love said.
Ernestine's mother, Annette Stallings, also lost a son to a deadly shooting in Akron in 2015. She's urging anyone with information on her daughter's murder to come forward.
"We need to get someone, anybody, to come up, step up and give information to the police to help us solve this," she said.
Love said everyone who knew Ernestine Stallings had kind things to say about her, something she want the callous killer to know.
"It's not right for you to do anything to anyone, but it's especially not right to do something to somebody that would never harm you."
FedEx issued the following statement on Stallings death:
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of our team member, Ernestine Stallings, and extend our sincerest thoughts and condolences to her family and friends. Further questions should be directed to the investigating authorities at this time.”
Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS.
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