24-year-old reporter killed by stray bullet that came through apartment window

‘She was sweet, kind and gracious,’ says Aviva Okeson-Haberman’s employer KCUR

Aviva Okeson-Haberman in a University picture ((Mizzou School of Journalism))

A 24-year-old reporter in Kansas City has died after reportedly being hit by a stray bullet that came through the window of her apartment.

Aviva Okeson-Haberman, 24, who was about to start a new job as a criminal justice and social issues reporter for the Kansas News Service, was found wounded by a colleague in her apartment on Friday after she did not respond to messages all day, according to her employer KCUR.

The young reporter was rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive by her colleague, but never regained consciousness, dying over the weekend.

In an article published late on Sunday, KCUR described Ms Okeson-Haberman as “an especially beloved friend and colleague just beginning what promised to be a brilliant career.”

The station added: “Above all, she was sweet, kind and gracious, giving little hint of the strength of purpose that made her such a skilled and tough reporter.”

Ms Okeson-Haberman joined KCUR as a politics and government reporter following an internship at the station the year before while studying at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri, after impressing the newsroom with “her work ethic, diligence, conscientiousness and eagerness to learn.”

She covered a wide variety of stories while working at KCUR, including investigations into local corruption, inequalities in Covid-19 vaccine distribution and pieces on medical marijuana and a nurse’s pandemic diary.

Describing Ms Okeson-Haberman as “brilliant”, KCUR news director Lisa Rodriguez released a statement praising the 24-year-old.

“Even as an intern, her approach to storytelling and her ability to hold those in power accountable paralleled many a veteran reporter.

“She was quiet, which made it all the more satisfying to hear her challenge politicians and hold her ground, even when people in positions of great power tried to belittle her,” Ms Rodriguez wrote.

“Her instincts as a journalist were spot-on. Aviva knew when something was amiss and was unrelenting in her pursuit of the truth,” she added.

Morgan Said, a spokeswoman for Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas, also paid tribute to Ms Okeson-Haberman in a tweet over the weekend.

She wrote: “Aviva always asked me tough questions but also laughed at my bad jokes — a sincerely kind spirit and kickass at her job. Heartbroken for Aviva and the entire @KCUR family.”

KCUR reported that on the same evening that Okeson-Haberman was shot, five other shooting victims were taken to the same hospital as her.

The local authorities are investigating the shooting that led to Ms Okeson-Haberman’s death. She is survived by her two younger sisters and two parents.