Palm Coast Mourns Dawn Estrella and Rakim-Shakur Brooks After Fatal Home Shooting

 PALM COAST, Fla. — Dawn Estrella, 47, and Rakim-Shakur Brooks, 55, died Wednesday night after a shooting at their home on Weyanoke Lane in Palm Coast. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the deaths as an apparent domestic violence murder-suicide. Deputies were called after multiple 911 reports of gunfire, arriving within five minutes of the first call. The deaths have left relatives, friends and others confronting a sudden and deeply painful loss.

The first emergency calls came in at about 10:18 p.m. on Sept. 30. Deputies found Brooks deceased inside the garage with what investigators described as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Estrella was found in a bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds. Deputies began lifesaving efforts before Palm Coast Fire Department and Flagler County Fire Rescue personnel arrived. Estrella was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:34 p.m., according to authorities.

The sheriff’s office said two other people were inside the home when the shooting occurred and were found unharmed. Detectives from the Major Case Unit and Crime Scene Investigation Unit responded to the residence and interviewed the two witnesses. One witness told investigators that Brooks and Estrella had been arguing before numerous gunshots were heard. Investigators also learned that the couple had a history of arguments, according to the sheriff’s office.

Based on the initial investigation, detectives said Brooks shot Estrella multiple times after an argument and then took his own life. Authorities have described the case as an apparent murder-suicide, while continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The couple had been married since March 2024 and were in the process of separating. Investigators said they had been in a relationship for approximately nine years.

Authorities are also examining how the firearm used in the shooting was obtained. The sheriff’s office said the gun had not been reported stolen. That question remains part of the active investigation, along with the events leading up to the argument and shooting. Investigators have not publicly established every detail surrounding the incident, and additional findings could provide a clearer account of what happened inside the home that night.

The deaths have particular significance for the people closest to Estrella and Brooks, who are now left to process the loss while investigators continue their work. Publicly available information provides limited details about Estrella’s life beyond her identity and age, while Brooks was identified as her husband. Authorities have not released a broader account of their personal histories, careers, interests or other details that might help portray their lives beyond the circumstances of their deaths. The shock has also affected others who knew the couple or live nearby.

For the Palm Coast community, the incident has brought renewed attention to the devastating consequences that can follow domestic conflict. The investigation remains active, and officials are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the shooting and the firearm involved. Dawn Estrella and Rakim-Shakur Brooks are now being mourned by family, friends and others who knew them, while those affected by the tragedy face the difficult days of grief. Their deaths leave unanswered questions for investigators and a profound personal loss for those closest to them.