CHESAPEAKE, Va. — We are learning more about a deadly act of domestic violence that caused a Navy sailor to lose her life.
Chesapeake Police said 20-year-old Aniece Gonzalez was shot and killed by her husband, 22-year-old Collin Smith-Aiken on Saturday.
Smith-Aiken also shot and injured a bystander too, before turning the gun on himself.
“We crumbled to our knees and our family is broken," said Margaret Smith.
Margaret Smith is remembering Gonzales who was her niece.
“And for my nini-bear, I just want her to know I'm always here for her. Right here. I'm always here and I love her, we all love her and we miss her terribly," said Smith.
Smith said she helped raise Gonzalez. Gonzalez also had seven siblings.
“She had a big bright star that she led life by," said Smith.
Smith explained Gonzalez is from California and enlisted in the Navy after she graduated high school in 2019.
“She served our great country with pride. She absolutely loved the sea."
“Nothing is good about this. Nothing good. It wasn't just one person, two people that were impacted. There are a lot of people that are hurt," said Smith.
Smith said she hopes the Hampton Roads community understands that domestic violence is the problem. She hopes others in her niece's situation know that help is out there.
“But if you see signs that are violent, you need to report them and report immediately, don't question it, don't think you can solve it. Domestic violence is real and I think that's the forefront of the conversation," said Smith.
Smith, who is also from California, is in northern Virginia this week on a business trip and was supposed to meet her niece this weekend.
“I want her face to be seen. I want everybody to know the wonderful light on earth that was extinguished and I know she’s shining bright upstairs and I know she will take care of us from there," said Smith.
Smith plans on coming to Hampton Roads this week to visit the area where the shooting happened.
Samaritan House Executive Director Robin Gauthier explained that the center has seen an increase in calls to their crisis hotline, along with more people getting hurt and killed by domestic violence situations.
Gauthier said she believes the rise in domestic violence cases stems from the pandemic.
The Samaritan House works closely with victim advocates stationed at all the military installations in Hampton Roads.
“Sometimes they refer victims to us if they want emergency shelter and it's something they can't provide and if they don't want to report things through their command they can certainly come here with us and we won't make them report anything," said Gauthier.