A mother and her small daughter were killed in a horrific shooting outside their Worcester, Massachusetts home. Chasity Nunez, 27, and her 11-year-old daughter Zella, who was legally blind, were sitting in their truck when gunfire erupted, killing them both.
According to WCVB, surveillance footage captured the horrifying event in which two criminals approached the vehicle, fired shots, then escaped. Witnesses described the firing as sounding like a machine gun, causing shockwaves across the area.
Michael Mahoney, a neighbor, described the unsettling moment, expressing concern that such brutality may happen in their community. “It’s scary that you got to worry about getting shot in your own neighborhood, you know?” Mahoney stated to NBC News.
Tragically, both Chasity and Zella died from their injuries, leaving a void in the hearts of their loved ones. Authorities captured the alleged offender, 28-year-old Karel Mangual, hours after the shooting, after tracking his phone to the crime scene and identifying his vehicle in security footage.
However, authorities are still looking for Mangual’s accused accomplice, 27-year-old Dejan Belnavis, who is thought to have participated in the horrible deed. Mangual is now charged with two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and illegal possession of a handgun.
Chasity, a National Guard veteran and a recent graduate with her second master’s degree, has died, leaving her family and community devastated. Her surviving 2-year-old daughter is now in the care of her father, as family members mourn the unexpected loss of Chasity and Zella.
Tyrae Sims, Chasity’s cousin, expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy and called for accountability for those responsible. “I just hope they know the gravity of what they just did,” Sims lamented to NBC News. “They took two beautiful souls senselessly.”
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