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Family grieves woman killed in shooting, neighbors express concern for safety

Posted at 7:46 PM, May 08, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-08 20:46:50-04

FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — The family of Tatyanna Zech is grieving after Zech was killed following a shooting in Fond du Lac last night. Two others were hurt in the shooting and police are searching for two persons of interest.

Her sister Tiara Wortham and sister-in-law Hannah Brace remember her as a loving aunt and sister, and someone who was always making people laugh, describing her as “outspoken” and “fierce.”

"[She] didn't have a care in the world,” Wortham said.

Wortham and Brace said Zech was originally from Fond du Lac and had recently moved back from Chicago. She was planning on growing a hairstyling business there.

Wortham says Zech had 18 siblings and numerous nieces and nephews—and many of them live in Fond du Lac.

"She has a lot of family here, a lot of siblings. She just wanted, like, a fresh start.. in a safer environment,” Brace said.

Tatyanna's family started a GoFundMe to help out with funeral expenses.

“Her mom would like to bury her with her grandma,” Brace said. “We obviously want to have like some type of celebration after. Nobody really plans on having to bury their 20-year-old, so I don't, this is something that the family planned for financially.

A woman who lives in the Maplewood Commons where the shooting took place says she was in Appleton during the shooting, but is concerned for the safety of her neighborhood.

“To know that such a thing happening here, in my community, it kind of hurts. It really does,” the woman said.

The woman said she has a young daughter who didn't feel comfortable going to school today because of the shooting.

“My daughter, she's 13 and she's what I like to call an emotional critter. She thinks it's gonna be hard for her to deal with this,” the woman said.

Police are still searching for two persons of interest—a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old.

The Fond du Lac School District released a statement saying that both persons of interest are students of the Fond du Lac school district, but they do not believe there is any threat to student safety in schools.

Police are urging anyone living in the area near the 800 block of Martin Avenue to check their surveillance footage, and report any suspicious activity to police.