A FORMER Miss America candidate and her bodybuilder husband had recently moved away from growing crime before being shot in front of their toddler.
Thomas Hand, 37, and his wife Christine Kozlowski, 33, were preaching in a poor neighborhood in Montgomery, Alabama, when a 17-year-old reportedly shot him out of nowhere.
Pregnant Kozlowski and the couple’s two-year-old son Roman were talking to a family across the street when they allegedly saw a shirtless, mumbling Jerimiah Walker approach Hand before shooting him.
The couple’s Kevin Rayan told The Sun that they recently moved to Alabama from Louisiana because Hand wanted a “better life” for his family.
“He told me how happy he was to get away from here because the crime in New Orleans was getting so bad,” said Rayan, who first met Hand at the gym.
“He wanted to get away from crime, to have a better life there and then he got shot
” It’s crazy. »
Hand and Kozlowski preached in different neighborhoods on weekends, Rayan said, and the couple spent all of their time together while running their own business from home.
They announced they were pregnant with their second child just two days before Hand’s tragic death.
The couple’s toddler, Roman, allegedly saw his father being shot and tried to comfort him as he lay on the ground.
Rayan said the boy still didn’t know he had lost his father.
“She says no, he doesn’t know what’s going on,” Rayan told The Sun.
“When it happened he was in the stroller and he was watching his dad on the ground.
“He said, ‘Oh, it’ll be fine, Dad’, that’s what he told her as he lay dead on the sidewalk.
“It just sucks. »
FATAL WOUND BY SHOTGUN
Police and medics responded to the scene on Texas Street in Montgomery, Alabama around 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon after reports of one person being shot.
They found Hand who had suffered a fatal gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kozlowski, who was Miss Mississippi in 2008, confirmed her husband’s death in a heartbreaking Facebook post on Sunday.
“Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers during this time of my husband Tommy Hand’s passing,” she wrote.
“I feel everyone’s love and support and just wanted everyone to know that indeed Tommy was shot and killed last night on Texas Street in Montgomery AL.
“I appreciate and welcome all the messages, I’m just overwhelmed with all the questions and the telling of the details of what happened.
“I will post more information later to explain everything to everyone. »
Rayan said Kozlowski is “just trying to be strong for the little boy” after the tragedy.
“I don’t really know how she does it. She tries to stay strong for her son.
“It’s a crazy situation. »
SUSPECT ARRESTED
Walker was arrested at the scene and is charged with capital murder.
Authorities said the secondary crime needed to charge a suspect with capital murder was shooting the victim in the presence of a child under 14.
No motive for the crime was revealed.
Cops continue to investigate as Walker is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center.
Anyone with information related to this shooting should contact CrimeStoppers at 334-215-STOP, Secret Witness at 334-625-4000 or Montgomery Police Department at 334-625-2831.
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