Noelia Gonzalez-Brito, a 28-year-old Hispanic woman, tragically lost her life on October 18, 2012, in a horrific shooting incident at the Dominicanas Hair Salon in Casselberry, Florida. The incident unfolded when Bradford Baumet, a 36-year-old man with a history of criminal behavior, stormed into the salon and opened fire. Baumet's rampage resulted in the deaths of Noelia Gonzalez-Brito, who was an employee at the salon, and two other women: Gladys Cabrera, a 52-year-old customer, and Eugenia
Marte, a 45-year-old co-owner of the salon. Marcia Santiago, another co-owner and Baumet's estranged girlfriend, was critically injured but survived the attack.
The motive behind the shooting was rooted in domestic violence. Baumet had a tumultuous relationship with Marcia Santiago, who had filed a temporary injunction against him on October 5, 2012, citing threats and physical abuse. Baumet was scheduled to appear in court on the day of the shooting to address the injunction. Instead, he armed himself with a stolen gun and targeted the salon where Santiago worked. The attack was premeditated, as Baumet had a long history of criminal activities, including stalking, trespassing, and making obscene phone calls.
Following the shooting, Baumet fled to a friend's house, where he confessed to having "some problems" before taking his own life with a firearm. The incident left the community in shock and highlighted the severe consequences of domestic violence. The investigation revealed that Baumet had a history of violent behavior and had been arrested multiple times in Florida and Rhode Island. Despite the temporary injunction, Baumet's actions on that fateful day resulted in the tragic loss of three lives, including that of Noelia Gonzalez-Brito.
The aftermath of the shooting saw an outpouring of grief from the victims' families and friends. Noelia Gonzalez-Brito, who was five months pregnant at the time of her death, was remembered by her loved ones as a kind and dedicated individual. Her boyfriend, Guillermo Agramonte, who had been trying to reach her during the shooting, provided a description of her tattoos to help police identify her body. The incident underscored the need for stronger measures to protect victims of domestic violence and prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
