A tragic event unfolded in New Albany, Indiana, when a young mother of three was fatally shot by her former partner while she was filming a TikTok video with a friend. The victim, Kaitlynn Lee, 25, had previously confided in a friend that if anything were to happen to her, her ex-partner, Joshua Thompson, would be the one to blame.
Court records reveal that Thompson, also 25, arrived at an apartment where Lee was visiting a friend. Despite a protective order issued against him due to a previous domestic violence incident in April, Thompson began pounding on a window with a firearm. At that moment, Lee and her friend were in the process of recording a TikTok video, dancing and lip-syncing to a song, when Thompson appeared at the window. Shortly after, he discharged the firearm, hitting Lee in the head.
The court documents provide a harrowing description of the incident, which was inadvertently captured on the TikTok video. The footage shows the two women turning away from the camera and looking towards the kitchen window. A flash is then seen from the window area, and Lee’s body falls out of the frame. The video concludes with smoke filling the room.
After the shooting, Thompson reportedly dialed 911, urged by his brother, and confessed to shooting Lee. He admitted to visiting the apartment to verify if she was with other men, despite the active restraining order against him. The court documents depict a “toxic relationship” between Thompson and Lee, who were frequently in conflict.
In response to this heartbreaking incident, a GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by Lee’s cousin, Jannette, to raise funds for Lee’s funeral and to provide financial support for her three children. The campaign underscores the devastating consequences of the incident, stating that the children must now face life without their mother due to “someone’s selfish actions.”