ACOMB COUNTY, MI – A horrifying and heartbreaking incident unfolded in Macomb County, Michigan, as 25-year-old Gina Bryant fell victim to a fatal shooting at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, Justin Wendling, who subsequently turned the gun on himself. This tragic event occurred on October 13, and it left the community in shock.
The disheartening chain of events began when Gina Bryant, who had last been seen on October 12, did not return to work after her lunch break. Concerned co-workers received unusual texts from her phone, raising the alarm. It was then that the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office stepped in to investigate the troubling circumstances.
Law enforcement officials revealed that Bryant had returned home for lunch, only to find her ex-boyfriend, Justin Wendling, waiting for her. Surveillance footage showed Wendling leading Bryant to his car. The next day, Bryant’s parents received a call from Wendling, confessing to killing Bryant and expressing his intent to end his own life.
The investigation revealed that Wendling shot and killed Bryant at a truck stop in LaSalle, Illinois, around midnight on October 13. After committing this horrifying act, Wendling fled to Iowa, where he fatally shot himself when approached by local officers.
Speaking to The Detroit News, Gina Bryant’s sister, Angelica Gintner, disclosed that her sister had previously lived with Wendling but had moved out in September due to ongoing abuse. Gintner described her sister as a caring and compassionate woman, adding, “She was very beautiful, down-to-earth, giving woman. She could brighten up a day with just her smile. She’d give you the shirt off your back.”
At the time of her tragic death, Gina Bryant was pursuing a nursing degree at the University of Michigan-Flint, while Justin Wendling was reportedly a doctor in Flint. The dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Michigan-Flint sent an email to Bryant’s colleagues, expressing that “Gina was an extraordinary young woman with much ahead of her.”
This heart-wrenching incident serves as a somber reminder of the tragic consequences of domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233, and their services are available 24/7 in over 170 languages.