School community mourns teacher killed while allegedly trying to help friend escape domestic violence

By Courtney Carpenter

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    SPRING, Texas (KTRK) — Police are searching for a man accused of shooting his girlfriend’s friend during a domestic violence situation in Spring.

The 26-year-old victim, identified as Shantavia Reddick, was third-grade teacher at Smith Elementary, according to Spring ISD.

There’s a heaviness among the Smith Elementary School community as they mourn the loss of Reddick, remembered as someone who was there for her students and a beloved team member.

“I’m shocked,” Smith Elementary parent Shay Cooper said.

“She’s going to be really missed — a lot,” said Dreia Ward-Sampler, also a Smith Elementary parent. “When I told my daughter about it, her and all of her friends, they were like, ‘It can’t be. It can’t be.'”

Harris County sheriff’s deputies said early Saturday morning, Reddick went to an apartment complex in the 2300 block of E. Mossy Oaks Road to help a friend who was trying to get out of an alleged abusive relationship.

It was then that 28-year-old Dimitri Humphrey, her friend’s boyfriend, shot and killed Reddick and her dog, according to deputies.

Humphrey did not hurt his girlfriend, deputies said.

“That’s very sad. Especially someone who has changed the community and made a difference with the children,” Cooper said.

Ward-Sampler told ABC13 her daughter, who was close with Ms. Reddick, is trying to focus on the good memories they shared.

“My daughter, who is in sixth grade — her and her friends — every morning they are on the bus and they are exchanging pictures that they took with her. It’s really disheartening because it shouldn’t have happened,” Ward-Sampler said.

Reddick was hired by Spring ISD in 2020 and recognized as a rookie teacher of the year for 2021-2022. She is a graduate of Prairie View A&M and recently earned her master’s degree from Texas Southern University.

The search for Humphrey is ongoing. According to the sheriff’s office, he is currently wanted on unrelated felony warrants and murder charges are in the process of being filed against him.

Spring ISD says is has grief counselors as well as a grief support dog at the school to help during this tough time.

If you or a loved one is in a domestic violence situation, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org.

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