EDEN, N.C. — A woman was murdered in Eden on Sunday, according to police.
Police said 40-year-old Gwendolyn Lavonne Riddick was shot and killed at Freedom Park.
Officers said she was a doctor at UNC Women's Health in Eden. The hospital confirmed that she was an OB/GYN there.
UNC Health wrote in a statement:
"UNC Health was saddened to learn about the tragic loss of Dr. Gwendolyn Riddick, a much-loved OB/GYN with UNC Women's Health at Eden. Our thoughts are with her family and we will provide support for her teammates and patients."
Officers said they caught 35-year-old John Michael Powell as he was driving away from the scene and was able to arrest him.
Police said Riddick was found near her car, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
She was taken to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Emma Gaines was at the park Sunday with her boyfriend and child.
She told WFMY News 2 she heard the gunshots and then quickly ran over to help Riddick.
"I looked back, and I know my boyfriend always has his pocket knife on him, and he pulled it out. I just jumped on top of her, went to town, and started cutting her clothes off of her doing everything I could. As I saw gunshot wounds, I was just holding onto them with her clothes,” Gaines explained.
Officers said they determined the death was due to an isolated, domestic incident between Powell and Riddick, who have a child together.
Gaines said she saw the car seat in the back of Riddick's car.
Gaines was just one of dozens of people who were at the park when the shooting happened.
Another man, Jose Franco, said he had left the park not even two hours before the shooting happened.
"I said to myself, oh my gosh when did it happen? I didn’t know when it happened. I was running scenarios through my head. Oh my gosh, what if I was there and you hear or you see something like that," Franco said.
Powell was charged with first-degree murder and discharging a weapon into occupied property. He is being held with no bond and is scheduled to appear in court on August 8.
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