PHOENIX — A Phoenix mother is sharing her story of experiencing domestic violence after she and her boyfriend were shot by her ex-partner earlier this month.
The incident began around 1:30 a.m. on November 8, when Angelique, who has asked to keep her identity hidden for safety reasons, was at home with her boyfriend.
Phoenix police say her ex, Luis Lopez Gutierrez—the father of her two young children—began banging on her windows and went into the backyard.
"I didn't know what he was going to be capable of," Angelique said.
However, she felt certain her ex’s priority was killing or harming her, so she wanted to draw his attention away from her house to protect her children who were asleep inside.
“I told my boyfriend, ‘We need to run’ as soon as I saw him turn around and start looking for something to break the window," she said.
Angelique and her boyfriend got into her car and fled while calling 911 and didn’t realize the two had been seriously hurt.
“It wasn't until they laid me down and looked at me, and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, you were shot.’ And he was shot. And I was like, ‘What the heck?’ I didn't even realize that's what it was. I was still in shock,” she recalled.
Both were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening wounds.
Police say the incident escalated into a high-speed pursuit along Interstate 10, ending in a barricade situation near Tucson.
Gutierrez, who has a history of domestic violence according to police records, was apprehended after the standoff.
Police reports confirm Angelique had filed an assault report against Gutierrez just days before the shooting.
Reflecting on the incident, she said she is angry rather than sad.
“I give them so many chances to be in the kid's life, and he just couldn't leave me alone," she said.
Now recovering, Angelique is focused on moving forward. She recently received approval to move into a new apartment and is eager to return to her job as a delivery driver once her doctors have cleared her.
Do you have a concern in your community or a news tip? We want to hear from you!
Connect with us: share@abc15.com
"It sucks not being able to work because it's the best time to work," she said about the holiday season starting to kick into gear.
By sharing her story, Angelique hopes to show others facing domestic violence that they are not alone.
"I feel like it means more when you know people, and they can actually point you in a direction that they've went before," she said.
For Angelique, the only direction now is forward. She’s determined to rebuild her life and create a safe environment for her children.
Angelique has a GoFundMe. If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic violence, there are resources to help.
The phone number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
The Maricopa County hotline is 480-890-3039 and for a full list of other shelters and programs in the Valley click here.
