So much was going right for Brittany Allen. Then she was shot and killed at her home.
Update: On March 31, 2024, a 14-month investigation led to the arrest of Andrea Woods, 40, in this case. Woods is facing a murder charge, police announced.
Previous reporting: After her sister’s death, Brittany Allen took in her three nephews and began rebuilding her life. Everything was headed in the right direction before a fatal shooting on Indianapolis’ northeast side, family said.
The 33-year-old mother answered the door, then was shot inside her home in the 9500 block of Village Way near E. 96th Street. Police responded to the Jan. 27 shooting around 4 p.m. and Allen was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Allen’s sister died in 2020 due to health conditions. She also lost a cousin to health issues in 2014.
“Our family has dealt with a lot of death, but this one hit different because of it being so violent,” said Ebonie Peterson.
Allen and Peterson are cousins and were raised together in Indianapolis. Allen’s mother and 9-year-old daughter were home at the time of the shooting.
“She is very smart, but she is not processing what happened,” Peterson said of the young girl. “She hasn't really shed a lot of tears. It's more expressing she is so sad and wondering why someone would do this to her mom.”
Police have not made any arrests and said there were no updates to share Monday.
Allen was a pharmacy technician and had gotten a new job at a hospital in Indianapolis before she was killed. She also was recently engaged.
“She was in love with her fiance and excited about this new job.” Peterson said. “She was healing from the loss of her sister and in a positive transition stage of life. That's what makes this even more difficult.”
Peterson remembers her cousin as a goofball, who could take any situation and find a way to make people laugh. Allen’s family is raising funds to relocate from the home where she was killed. The funds also will be used for funeral expenses.
“She was very magnetic, and I believe she touched every person she came in contact with,” Peterson said. “She definitely left an impact and she will truly be missed."
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Brittany Allen leaves behind young daughter after deadly shooting
