The ex-wife of the sniper who killed 10 people and injured three others during a three week shooting spree in October of 2002, spoke Thursday at Fort Riley in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness month.

Mildred Muhammad, the ex-wife of John Allen Muhammad, shared her story of being the victim of domestic violence for years during her marriage and after her divorce to her ex-husband. She shared that she had to go into hiding after her ex-husband threatened to kill her and kidnapped their children and emptied their bank account. “I had to change my name and go into a shelter in order to protect myself and stay alive long enough to find my children.”

She said that she used what she had learned while helping her ex-husband, who was an 84th combat engineer in the U.S. Army, with his corespondent courses, ” I learned some of that too and applied that to stay two steps ahead of him so I could keep myself alive.”

John and his accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were arrested October 24, 2002, in connection with the three week killing spree. He was executed in November of 2009 and Malvo is currently serving a life sentence without parole.

Mildred explained the message she try’s to deliver when she shares her story,” You don’t have to have physical scars to be a victim or survivor of domestic violence. Even the abuser needs help. If you are a victim and a survivor that’s still going through it then go to your family advocacy services and they will be able to assist you in where you need to go, which direction to go in.”