American man killed in Ukraine, was ‘gunned down’ while in line for bread, sister confirms

Hollywood

An American man killed in a Russian attack in northern Ukraine was trying to find food for his sick partner, his family members told media outlets as they mourned the loss of one of the first U.S. citizens to die in the invasion.

Jimmy Hill was “gunned down” in Chernihiv, Ukraine, while waiting in a bread line with several other people, said his sister, Cheryl Hill Gordon, in a Facebook post. His body was found in the street by local police, she said.

Ukrainian officials reported that 10 people were killed Wednesday while standing in the bread line in Chernihiv. Local police and the U.S. State Department confirmed the death of an American but did not identify the person who was killed.

Months before Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, Jimmy Hill traveled there to be with his Ukrainian partner, Ira, who has multiple sclerosis, Hill’s sister, Katya Hill, told CNN.

His family members pleaded with him to flee the country, but he was determined to stay.

“He was not going to leave Ira’s side in her condition,” Katya Hill said.

Gordon told the Washington Post that her brother and his partner traveled four hours to Chernihiv Regional Hospital for treatment after she came down with pneumonia.

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Throughout the month, Jimmy Hill’s Facebook posts chronicled the harrowing conditions he faced in Chernihiv amid fires, explosions and air raid sirens. The posts also documented Ira’s condition and his own feeling of helplessness as the two faced hunger and cold temperatures.

In his final post Tuesday, Hill wrote “Intense bombing! still alive. Limited food. Room very cold. Ira in intensive care.”