Student on road trip shot and killed by woman he stopped to help
A Florida student was shot and killed while on a road trip with his girlfriend after stopping to help a woman on the roadside.
22-year-old Adam Simjee was killed in Talladega National Forest, Alabama, while on a trip with girlfriend Mikayla Paulus.
Simjee was killed when he pulled over onto the side of the road in order to help Yasmine Hider, who told the pair her car had broken down.
The couple helped try to repair the car for about an hour before realising it wouldn't get started again, at which point Hider pulled a gun on them and ordered them off the road and into the woods.
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She then demanded the couple drop their phones and hand over their banking information, at which point Simjee pulled out a gun of his own and began exchanging gunfire with the robber.
The student was killed during the fight and pronounced dead at the scene, Hider was wounded and taken to hospital to treat her injuries where she was later charged with his murder.
Paulus paid tribute to her late boyfriend on social media, where she said his death meant her 'world ended'.
She said: "My reason for being, my soulmate, my life partner, the future father of my children, died in the middle of a state park in Alabama.
"No words can begin to describe the shock and pain I'm in. We had our entire lives ahead of us. Adam is the best person I've ever met on the face of this entire planet.
"He was the most pure soul and he made sure I knew I would be safe when I was with him. It comforts me to say he passed in one of his favourite places, the forest in the mountains."
Saying she would love him forever, Paulus thanked him for giving her 'the best 4 years of my life'.
According to Clay County Sheriff's Office, Hider and another woman, Krystal Pinkins, have been charged with one count of murder, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of robbery.
They say they were called to a crime scene at 11.30am on Sunday (14 August) where a 22-year-old man had been shot in the back.
The sheriff's report says Pinkins had fled the scene of the shooting on foot, and was later tracked down with the help of dogs to a large group of tents officials are describing as a 'base camp'.
A five-year-old child from the camp, believed to be Pinkins' son, was also taken into custody after the boy was spotted holding a shotgun.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Joe Harker