PHOTOS BY: CHARLENE MANN FORD

What became Emily’s story s not something anyone would like to experience in their lifetime. Emily is a 25-year-old, mother and entrepreneur who lives in Rochester, NY. She is a beautiful woman, who is a make-up artist (Make-Up Artistry and Beauty by Emily Marie). On September 15, 2018, her otherwise normal life became a movie we watch and hope never happens to us. Her life changed forever that day. It was a Saturday night and she was home with her children. Her son is 1 and her daughter is 3. Emily just finished posting a make-up look on her social media and proceeded around 8 to get her kids ready for bed. After they fell asleep, she went back in her studio in the basement, listened to some music and began editing pictures she would use in future posts. It was a typical day in her life.

Everything she knew changed around 11:30 pm. Someone was banging on her back door. Emily was startled by the urgency of the person and she thought it may be someone she knew etc. Emily went to open her door and today she questions why she didn’t try to see who it was first. She opened the door half way and bullets started flying at her. Her security light was knocked out, so she couldn’t see anyone or anything. She was shot in both of her thighs and twice in her left knee. Her instincts kicked in after the original shock of it all. She closed the door. Three additional bullets lodged in the steel door. She was shot 4 times and there were, a total of 6 entry and exit wounds. Initially, she was frozen with fear and could not comprehend that this just happened to her. Glass was everywhere as one of the bullets hit the stove behind her.

Emily shares saying, “Somehow I was able to walk away from the door but then I collapsed on the floor with broken glass all around me from the stove getting shot which was behind me. There was so much blood pouring out and I was trying to keep as much blood as I could inside my body by cupping my hands around the gun shot wounds but there were so many. I couldn’t find my phone and I was freezing cold. I could literally feel my soul leaving my body. I could hear my children crying from upstairs and it gave me a huge jolt of energy. I crawled back to the door and screamed outside for help hoping someone would see me. I saw my neighbor’s car in the driveway. I thought he was home, so I was going to crawl to his door to bang on it. Something told me to go back inside. I decided to leave the door open so hopefully someone would see all the blood and maybe call for help.

I crawled over to the basement steps, ripped out the baby gate and threw myself down the stairs. I was able to call for help. I found my phone. It was 11:42 pm. The police arrived 6 minutes later. When RPD arrived, they had to check the premises for the shooter before coming down to the basement. It was getting so difficult to breathe. I was losing faith and I was thinking about how I may never see my family or children again. I just had to keep breathing and remain calm. I figured out that taking deep breaths and trying not to scream or cry was helping me stay alive”.

Emily tells us this has changed her life in so many ways. The perpetrators have not been apprehended. Emily has trouble walking and needs assistance to care for for her children. She is in pain daily but feels she is making progress every day. She had to pick up her whole life and move when she was still in the hospital. She was in the hospital for 2 weeks. She had 8 blood transfusions and had blood clots in her legs. Her children stayed with family for a while. This experience was the most challenging thing she ever had to go through. She was just making ground as a make up artist to where she did not have to supplement her business working as a bartender or waitress.

Pangburn says, “My life was turned upside down. One day I was living a normal life, and then the next I was unable to walk. My left leg was completely broken and crooked. The doctor had to drill a bar into the bottom of my leg and attach a weight to the end of it, so my leg would straighten. I had to stay like that for 48 hours until surgery. I have dealt with depression and anxiety for a long time. It is something I deal with now especially after all of the trauma I have been through.

At one point in my life, I feel like I lost myself and my ambition to strive for the best but after becoming a mother and getting very serious about the goals I wanted to achieve in my life I was able to find myself and make my own happiness. I am not letting this defeat me. This is something that has slowed me down, but it won’t ever stop me.
My family are the most significant people in my life. They have been by my side throughout this. I wouldn’t be here or be the same woman I am without them. I love that I have such as strong support system and there’s nothing I could ever do to repay them”.

Emily says in the next five years she sees success and happiness. She is taking negative and turning it into a positive. She indicates almost losing her life, opened her eyes so much. Every day when she looks into her children’s eyes, she thanks God for every day on this earth. Her biggest goal in life is to be the best mother she can be.


Emily closes by saying, “My advice to anyone reading this is always protect yourself and your family. Make sure you have a proper first aid kit for your home and car. Learn how to defend yourself and read about ways to stay safe. Danger is always around the corner, but we can look for signs of danger before it is too late”.

If anyone knows any information about this case, please call Investigator Trevor Powell (585) 428-9378