April Russell, a 35-year-old African American woman, was tragically killed on June 5, 2017, in her Northeast Side apartment in San Antonio, Texas. The incident occurred around noon when her ex-boyfriend, 37-year-old Adrian Hardeman, attempted to reconcile with her. When she rebuffed his advances, Hardeman broke into her apartment and shot her in the back. April's 15-year-old daughter, Alyla, and 8-year-old son, Jordan, witnessed the shooting.
Alyla held her mother in her arms and tried to stop the bleeding following instructions from police officers on the phone. Despite her efforts, paramedics pronounced April dead at the scene.
April Russell was a marketing manager for a local insurance company and was remembered by friends and family as a dedicated and loving mother. Her death was a result of domestic violence, as Hardeman had a history of abusive behavior. He had been previously arrested on a charge of domestic assault in December 2016 for recklessly causing bodily injury to April. The couple had been separated, and Hardeman had visited her on the day of the incident in an attempt to repair their relationship.
After the shooting, Hardeman fled the scene with their 1-year-old child, who was later found safe at a home on the East Side. Less than two hours after dropping off the child, Hardeman was involved in a car crash in Gonzales County. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responded to the crash and shot Hardeman dead after he made contact with them while armed. The Texas Rangers took over the investigation into the shooting, as is protocol when there is a trooper-involved shooting.
April's death highlighted the dangers of domestic violence, and her family and friends mourned her loss through social media tributes and a GoFundMe page to support her three children and cover funeral expenses. The children were placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, and April's brothers, Quincy and Cyrus Russell, actively communicated with state authorities to gain custody of them. The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the importance of awareness and intervention in cases of domestic abuse.
