Brother Shot and Killed While Protecting His Pregnant Sister from Her Boyfriend

Tyler Sadowski, a 20-year-old African American man from Barron, Wisconsin, was shot and killed while protecting his pregnant sister, Makayla, from her teenage boyfriend, who opened fire in a violent attack that also left her critically injured.

The shooting happened in a small rural town, where police say 17-year-old Marcus Hinojosa ambushed Makayla inside an apartment last Wednesday. He waited for her to arrive, then shot her as soon as she entered. When Tyler ran to help his sister, Hinojosa shot him through the apartment door, killing him.

Makayla, who was seven months pregnant, was shot in the stomach. Doctors delivered her baby two months early to save their lives. The newborn, weighing just over two pounds, is stable and being closely monitored. Makayla remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to KSLA.

At the time of the shooting, the siblings’ mother, Gina, was waiting in a car outside with Makayla’s 2-year-old child. “Makayla went in there, all happy and stuff, and this is the next thing I know. The world changed in just a matter of seconds,” she said.

Investigators said Hinojosa recorded and posted a video of the shooting on Snapchat before turning the gun on himself. He later died from his injuries. Authorities are working with Snapchat to have the video permanently removed.

Friends and family remembered Tyler for his bright smile and kindness. “Life is precious,” family friend Sherri Hillstead said. “These are beautiful children. You love them. Bubbly, laughing, smiling, you never forget them.”