The mother of a La Vista man suspected of fatally shooting three people before turning the gun on himself in an Iowa state park Friday said her son gave no indication that anything was wrong prior to the shooting.
Authorities continued to investigate Saturday what transpired before the killing of Tyler Schmidt, 42, Sarah Schmidt, 42, and Lula Schmidt, 6, all of Cedar Falls, Iowa. All three were found dead at their campsite in Maquoketa Caves State Park on Friday morning, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
The Schmidts’ 9-year-old son, Arlo, survived the attack and was safe, according to a statement issued by Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green on Facebook on Friday.
Law enforcement was called at 6:23 a.m. Friday for a reported shooting at the park campground, according to the Department of Public Safety. Officers discovered the bodies and eventually determined that one camper, Anthony Orlando Sherwin, 23, was unaccounted for.
After searching the area, law enforcement located Sherwin’s body. He appeared to have suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Sherwin was a La Vista resident.
Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Department of Public Safety’s division of criminal investigation, told the Associated Press on Saturday that the motive for the attack was still unknown.
“We don’t know what led up to this, what precipitated it,” he said, adding that so far, “the investigation has not revealed any early interaction between the Schmidt family and him.”
Cecilia Sherwin, Anthony Sherwin’s mother, told the Omaha World-Herald in an email Saturday that the family refuses “to believe the news.”
Cecilia Sherwin said they were camping at the park Friday morning when she heard yelling and two gunshots. A young boy ran up to the Sherwins’ campsite yelling for help and told her that a man wearing black had shot his family, she said.
Cecilia Sherwin said her son was wearing green, not black, and no black clothing was found in the area. She also said they were legally traveling with a gun, which was located in a secure container.
“We think (Anthony) might have sensed trouble and grabbed the gun for safety,” Cecilia Sherwin said. “We refuse to believe the news. We are deeply saddened as he had so much to live for and gave us no indication that anything was wrong.”
A review of Nebraska criminal justice records found no signs that Sherwin had a criminal history.
Cecilia Sherwin said in a second email that the family "cooperated fully with the police and investigative team from the get-go." They informed authorities that Anthony was missing and that they feared he had been killed by the man the young boy had described.
"I didn't think we had any tears left but we still find ourselves breaking down and care deeply for the little boy and the loss of his family," she said.
Cecilia Sherwin reiterated that her son "gave us no warning that he was planning anything of this sort."
"Anthony was not capable of this sort of violence," she said.
Officials did not say if Anthony Sherwin had a firearm permit, the AP reported, noting that Iowa allows people with permits to carry firearms virtually anywhere in the state. Officials provided no information about the firearm that was used to kill the Schmidts, the AP reported.
Autopsies on the Schmidts are expected to take place over the weekend, according to the Department of Public Safety, and those findings will be released to the public. The state medical examiner also will perform an autopsy on Sherwin.
Green, the Cedar Falls mayor, said in his Facebook statement that the Schmidts were his neighbors. Sarah Schmidt was a Cedar Falls Public Library employee.
“Details will be forthcoming about services and other memorials, and I will ensure the community knows about this,” Green wrote. “Please offer some extra grace to the Schmidts’ many friends, neighbors, and coworkers as we try to process this horrible tragedy.”
A GoFundMe to support Arlo Schmidt had already received more than $81,000 in donations by 8 p.m. Saturday.
Authorities continued to investigate Saturday what transpired before the killing of Tyler Schmidt, 42, Sarah Schmidt, 42, and Lula Schmidt, 6, all of Cedar Falls, Iowa. All three were found dead at their campsite in Maquoketa Caves State Park on Friday morning, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
The Schmidts’ 9-year-old son, Arlo, survived the attack and was safe, according to a statement issued by Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green on Facebook on Friday.
Law enforcement was called at 6:23 a.m. Friday for a reported shooting at the park campground, according to the Department of Public Safety. Officers discovered the bodies and eventually determined that one camper, Anthony Orlando Sherwin, 23, was unaccounted for.
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After searching the area, law enforcement located Sherwin’s body. He appeared to have suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Department of Public Safety.
Sherwin was a La Vista resident.
Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the Department of Public Safety’s division of criminal investigation, told the Associated Press on Saturday that the motive for the attack was still unknown.
“We don’t know what led up to this, what precipitated it,” he said, adding that so far, “the investigation has not revealed any early interaction between the Schmidt family and him.”
Cecilia Sherwin, Anthony Sherwin’s mother, told the Omaha World-Herald in an email Saturday that the family refuses “to believe the news.”
Cecilia Sherwin said they were camping at the park Friday morning when she heard yelling and two gunshots. A young boy ran up to the Sherwins’ campsite yelling for help and told her that a man wearing black had shot his family, she said.
Cecilia Sherwin said her son was wearing green, not black, and no black clothing was found in the area. She also said they were legally traveling with a gun, which was located in a secure container.
“We think (Anthony) might have sensed trouble and grabbed the gun for safety,” Cecilia Sherwin said. “We refuse to believe the news. We are deeply saddened as he had so much to live for and gave us no indication that anything was wrong.”
A review of Nebraska criminal justice records found no signs that Sherwin had a criminal history.
Cecilia Sherwin said in a second email that the family "cooperated fully with the police and investigative team from the get-go." They informed authorities that Anthony was missing and that they feared he had been killed by the man the young boy had described.
"I didn't think we had any tears left but we still find ourselves breaking down and care deeply for the little boy and the loss of his family," she said.
Cecilia Sherwin reiterated that her son "gave us no warning that he was planning anything of this sort."
"Anthony was not capable of this sort of violence," she said.
Officials did not say if Anthony Sherwin had a firearm permit, the AP reported, noting that Iowa allows people with permits to carry firearms virtually anywhere in the state. Officials provided no information about the firearm that was used to kill the Schmidts, the AP reported.
Autopsies on the Schmidts are expected to take place over the weekend, according to the Department of Public Safety, and those findings will be released to the public. The state medical examiner also will perform an autopsy on Sherwin.
Green, the Cedar Falls mayor, said in his Facebook statement that the Schmidts were his neighbors. Sarah Schmidt was a Cedar Falls Public Library employee.
“Details will be forthcoming about services and other memorials, and I will ensure the community knows about this,” Green wrote. “Please offer some extra grace to the Schmidts’ many friends, neighbors, and coworkers as we try to process this horrible tragedy.”
A GoFundMe to support Arlo Schmidt had already received more than $81,000 in donations by 8 p.m. Saturday.
Mother of suspected gunman from La Vista says family is 'deeply saddened'
The mother of a Nebraska man suspected of fatally shooting three people before turning the gun on himself in an Iowa state park Friday said that her son gave no
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