Amanda Connors Shooting: Sioux Falls Salon Manager Killed Trying To Protect Employee

Authorities in South Dakota say a 24-year-old salon manager was killed trying to protect an employee and her two children from their gun wielding father.

According to police reports, Amanda Connors, the manager of Cost Cutters hair salon in Sioux City, was leaving her job Tuesday afternoon when she saw 38-year-old Tyrone Leeon Smith in the parking lot of the establishment.

Court records show Smith was released had been released from jail the day before after pleading not guilty to a domestic assault charge against the mother, according to Aberdeen News.

The mother, one of Connors’ employees at Cost Cutters salon, took out a protection order against Smith Monday morning, asking that he be barred from coming within 500 feet of her, their children, their shared home or the day care their children attended.

Upon seeing Smith, Connors phoned the salon from her car to warn her employees, including Smith’s girlfriend.

Police then say that Connors pulled her car up to the salon door as Smith attempted to enter the building. The two exchanged words then Smith shot Connors in the head.

After shooting Connors, police say Smith locked himself in the store with his children and four employees, including the children’s mother. He tied up everyone and fired a second shot in the store, which grazed one employee.

“I had a bullet graze my left leg. Then later a gun pointed to my head. Didn’t really know what to think or do. All I thought was, ‘I’m going to die.’ Then I told myself to shut up and just prayed,” Cost Cutters employee Jamie Fischer said.

After a short time in the store, Smith said he was going to take his own life.

Police Capt. Greg Vande Kamp says armed officers stormed the salon and found Smith dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

KELO has more on the tragic death of Amanda Connors in the video below: