Pereira, aged 30, lost her life on May 8 at Arise Auto Centre located along the 500 block of North Wayne Avenue, where she worked as a cashier.

According to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting led to a temporary shelter-in-place order as officers secured the vicinity and advised residents to stay away from nearby roads. The coroner later confirmed that she died at the scene from gunshot wounds.

Investigators have urged residents and business owners in Lockland and neighbouring Lincoln Heights to check surveillance recordings that may assist the probe.

WCPO Cincinnati quoted detectives as requesting residents and businesses to review available footage, including Ring camera videos, captured between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. for any useful evidence.

Authorities described the suspect as a heavily built Black man who was reportedly dressed in grey sweatpants and a black sweatshirt or top, and may have been wearing a long black wig. The suspect was said to have escaped toward a creek behind the business premises.

Pereira competed for Nigeria in middle-distance events and enjoyed a career that stretched across local and international competitions. She recorded personal bests of 2:12.68 in the 800 metres and 4:39.57 in the 1500 metres, both achieved in Warrensburg, Missouri, in May 2019.

Her athletics journey lasted over a decade, beginning from the 2012 AFN Golden League in Port Harcourt to college competitions in the United States and the 2024 Portland Track Festival.

Speaking to The Punch, her grassroots coach, Rauf Abass, disclosed that Pereira had been scheduled to graduate on May 16.

Abass described the news of her death as heartbreaking, revealing that he and her longtime benefactor, Mrs Esther, personally informed her family in Nigeria about the tragedy.

He added that members of the sporting community later visited the family to sympathise with them.

“I tried as much as possible to coordinate her running mates. Some are no longer active in competition, but I brought them together to ensure everyone was informed and visited to offer condolences,” he said.

Abass further noted that Pereira was the breadwinner of her family, making the loss even more devastating, adding that he had spoken with her just the night before the incident.

A colleague, Don Simpson, disclosed that Pereira appeared to confront the suspect during the robbery.

“They called me and told me she didn’t make it,” Simpson said, expressing shock that the incident happened in broad daylight.

Her fiancé, Gbenga Showole, revealed that efforts are ongoing to establish a foundation in her honour.

According to him, Pereira was widely admired for her strong faith and deep commitment to caring for others.