U.S. lawyer killed on western Pacific island she served as acting attorney general

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. citizen Rachelle Bergeron, the acting attorney general for the Yap island in the Federated States of Micronesia, was shot to death Monday night at her residence.

The Federated States of Micronesia is located in the western Pacific Ocean. Yap Gov. Henry Falan said in a video Bergeron was killed by gunfire at her home after returning from an evening jog. He said her husband was at home at the time of the shooting.

"Today marks a tragic day in our history," Falan said. "We are under the watchful eyes of the world. ... On behalf of all the citizens of Yap both here and abroad, I offer our united heartfelt condolences to her husband, her family and friends and colleagues. Her loss will be greatly felt by all who knew her."

Bergeron was taken to Yap Memorial Hospital shortly after the shooting where she was pronounced dead, said Constantine Yowbalaw, director of Yap's Department of Youth and Civic Affairs.

"Yap's community and spirit is broken," Yowbalaw said. "Yap's pride and reputation is tarnished."

The FBI is sending a team to the islands to assist Yap police in an investigation of Bergeron's death, FBI representative Michelle Ernest said Tuesday.

Bergeron took the job of the assistant attorney general when she arrived to Yap from the United States in 2015 and was elevated to acting attorney general in January.

A Wisconsin native, Bergeron worked as a human rights attorney in Washington, D.C., and New York before moving to Yap, about 4,500 miles west of Hawaii. The New York Post reported that Bergeron set up a youth outreach program focused on identifying potential sex trafficking clients for Sanctuary for Families and offered legal advice to sex trafficking victims.