Confrontation In Hair Salon Leaves Two Dead

"SIOUX FALLS, SD — Worried about an escalating conflict, Amanda Connors drove up to the door of the hair salon she managed and confronted her employee's boyfriend, who had just kidnapped his two kids after being hit with a protection order and domestic violence arrest.

"The heroic decision cost Connors her life, but the mother's was spared.

"Police said Connors was leaving the Sioux Falls salon Tuesday afternoon when she saw Tyrone Leeon Smith, 38, with the kids in the parking lot. She phoned the store from her car to warn her employees, including Smith's girlfriend, then pulled her car up. Smith exchanged words with Connors as he stood in the Cost Cutters doorway before fatally shooting Connors in the head.

"As her red sedan accelerated into a parked SUV, Smith ducked inside, fired another shot and then zip-tied his girlfriend and her three co-workers.

"A half hour later, Smith let the employees go and put a bullet in his head, police said.

"`I personally don't think his intent was to go to that scene and to kill Amanda,` said Sioux Falls police Chief Doug Barthels. `It was unfortunate that it happened the way it did.

"`Frankly, I kind of see her as a hero.`"

Source: Miami Herald...