Ruth Greene, 67, of Palm Bay, Florida, was shot and killed on April 23, 1987, during a shooting spree that struck two shopping centers in Palm Bay. She was shot as she parked her car in front of a grocery store. The attack left six people dead and fourteen others wounded.

The shooter, identified as William Bryan Cruse, a retired librarian with reported conflicts with neighbors and erratic behavior, carried out the killings that day. Cruse’s rampage included the deaths of two police officers, Gerald Johnson and Ronald Grogan. He was taken into custody after a standoff in which he held hostages and was later charged with multiple counts of murder; the case drew national attention and prompted ongoing discussion about mental health and community violence.