Latest murder in Chattanooga places spotlight on women and deadly violence

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF) — The Wednesday night murder of an East Lake mother has placed a spotlight on a growing trend of deadly violence against women.

LaRhonda Spence, 25, Bianca Horton 26, and Yessica Ruis, 29 all have one thing  in common besides being young mothers. They were all targeted and killed in Chattanooga. There deaths have become a growing trend this year when it comes to deadly violence.

“Women have been a focal point of some of this violence. We would like to change that trend,” said Chattanooga Police Lt. Glenn Scruggs.

On the same day the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga held a luncheon to bring awareness to violence against women, LaRohonda Spence was gunned down at a home in East Lake Home. Also on that same day, Yessica Ruiz succumbed to injures she sustained last week. Her ex-husband admitted to stabbing her multiple times.

Within the past couple of months, there have been reports of females who have either been targeted by gunmen or have been innocent bystanders injured by gunfire.

“It is alarming; the number of women that are being victimized by gang violence. The pregnant woman that was shot and recent killings of women really highlights the effect that violence has on women in our community,” said Emily O’Donnell who volunteers for the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga.

O’Donnell also works for the Public Education Foundation which helps people improve their lives through better education. She says educating the public about what’s really happening to many women is the best way to keep a spotlight on this growing problem.

“We really need as a society to make sure every knows that it’s not okay and that violence is not answer,” O’Donnell said.

While experts say some of the deadly violence against women is gang-related, the rest tends to be related to domestic problems.