A graduate of Antioch Community High School and postdoctoral researcher for the University of California in Davis, 31-year old Sharon Gray died while attending meetings concerning plant biology studies just outside of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. While leaving the city on Tuesday, October 4, Sharon’s vehicle was struck with rocks by angry protesters, several hitting her head and later resulting in death.

“She’s really an always-smiling slip of sunshine. She’s a smart, energetic scientist,” Dinesh-Kumar said. “She had a very bright future ahead of her. And everyone knew she was going to be the star in the plant biology research area.”

Gray was the first foreigner fatally affected by the continuous uprisings of the Ethiopian citizens. In order to increase economic growth, the Ethiopian government recently took land from many communities to build factories and large corporations, promising to benefit the people. However, many feel that the government is misusing the income and unequally distributing the revenue, leading to violent street protests within cities that are heavily influenced.

While the government tries to enact peace, protests have been ensuing for months as citizens fight for political rights. Just a weekend before Gray’s death, 55 were killed in a stampede as police tried to shut down dangerous protestings. Gray’s death brings into awareness the violence ensuing across the world and its danger-zone for outsiders travelling within.

Famed for her high achievement in academics, Gray was in the midst of lab study as she led a research group overseas to study the effects climate change has on plant growth. Although her colleagues were uninjured and safely home after the disturbance in Ethiopia, the circumstances of the attack remain unclear.

The U.S. State Department is currently assisting the Gray family as they, along with friends and the UC community, suffer from the absence of a loved one.

“Sharon was a passionate scientist, friend, spouse, sister, daughter, aunt, godmother, and a colleague,” a released family statement said. “We are picking each other up and growing together in her absence.”

We as a Tom Tom staff share our condolences to the family and friends of our passed fellow Sequoit, and will release a detailed follow-up report in the future on Gray’s death and withstanding impact on our community here in Antioch.