American tourist killed in Mexico identified
MEXICO CITY - A U.S. tourist in Mexico City who was shot to death outside a restaurant has been identified as a woman who was celebrating her first wedding anniversary.
Friends, family, and co-workers of the 27-year-old San Francisco woman are mourning her loss and remembering her as a beautiful, smart, funny and talented sister, daughter, and wife.
Tatiana Mirutenko was in Mexico with her husband, James Hoover, when she was hit by what appeared to be a stray bullet from a shooting at a taco restaurant in the wealthy neighborhood of Lomas de Chapultepec in the capital city.
Mexico City's prosecutor's office said Mirutenko was leaving the restaurant early Saturday when gunmen on a motorcycle fired at a man identified by authorities as a bouncer at a nearby bar. That man was injured, but survived.
Authorities said there was no indication the two victims knew each other. The attackers escaped.
"We extend our sincere condolences to friends and family members of the deceased. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City is providing all appropriate consular services to her family," the U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a statement to KTVU.
The last post Mirutenko made on Instagram was on July 1-- two photos from her wedding day, including a black and white of her and her husband kissing with the caption: "year 1," with a simple heart emoji to punctuate the post.
Mirutenko was a senior investor relations analyst at biopharmaceutical company, Nektar Therapeutics in San Francisco.
In a statement to KTVU the company said she will be incredibly missed and remembered her as a bright and passionate rising star and valued member of the team. "She was always willing to help on any project across the company and had an incredibly strong work ethic. Many throughout Nektar, and outside the company, valued her positive energy, insight and sheer enthusiasm for life."
The Illinois native was also an accomplished volleyball player and played for Clemson University in South Carolina.
Natalie Mirutenko told ABC News her daughter had told her "how wonderful, how safe it was."
Wasyl Mirutenko says they were selecting flowers for a wedding a year ago, adding "today we were looking at flowers for the funeral."