On November 5, 2007 in Colorado Springs, a tragic chain of events was apparently set in motion when a 16 year old Tiffany Howard broke up with her 17 year old boyfriend, Andrew Brown. Brown waited for Howard after school and, when she got into a car with four friends, he followed them for four miles before ramming the car and threatening Howard and her friends with a shotgun. Brown then shot and killed the driver, shot and critically injured another boy in the car, and beat Howard with the butt of his gun before shooting and killing himself. Read more about this incident here.
This is an extreme and sobering reminder of the serious and devastating effects teen dating violence. The process of breaking up with an abusive partner can be a particularly dangerous time. If you are thinking about ending a harmful relationship, learn more about how to keep yourself safe. If someone you care about is being abused, read about ways you can support them.
If you're in immediate crisis, call 911 or the National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1.866.331.9474 or chat now: