Maquoketa Park shooting: Anthony Sherwin, La Vista, Nebraska man shoots dead Tyler and Sarah Schmidt camping with family at Iowa state park, then kills self. 9 year old boy id as sole survivor.
A 9 year old boy is the sole survivor of a shooting attack after a random killer shot dead his parents and six year old sister while camping at an Iowa state park on Friday.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety identified the victims as Tyler Schmidt, 42; his 42-year-old wife, Sarah Schmidt; and their 6-year-old daughter, Lula Schmidt, all of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Their bodies were found in their tent early Friday at the Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground, about 180 miles east of Des Moines.
Anthony Orlando Sherwin, 23, identified as the suspect gunman was found dead Friday in a wooded area of the park with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. The man’s body was found within proximity of where the Schmidts were gunned down.
Authorities do not believe Sherwin – hailing from La Vista, Nebraska – knew his victims when he set upon them the Des Moines Register reported.
The motive for the attack was not immediately known.
No known motive
Adam Morehouse, Sarah Schmidt’s brother said the family had no connection to Sherwin and he believed it was a ‘completely random act.’
Surviving the attack was the Schmidts eldest child, 9 year old Arlo, who was stated to have not been injured and was safe according to Cedar Falls Mayor Rob Green updated Facebook posts.
It remained unclear whether Arlo was in the tent or even at the campsite when the shootings happened.
The killings prompted the evacuation of the park and campground, including a children’s summer camp. After the evacuations, Sherwin was the only person unaccounted for, authorities stated.
Authorities stated Sherwin being armed, with Iowa allowing people with permits allowed to carry firearms virtually anywhere in the state. Officials did not say if Sherwin had a permit and provided no information about the firearm used to kill the Schmidts.
Sherwin lived in an apartment complex with his parents and had no history of criminal conduct according to the Des Moines Register. Authorities continue to investigate.
Come Sunday noon, just over $131K was raised on a GoFundMe page created for Arlo. The page, organized by a cousin, Beth Shapiro, stated: ‘Arlo is a strong boy, surrounded by family and friends who are supporting him as best we can.’ The page says the fund will help Arlo now, and help fund his future education.
Stated Mitch Mortvedt, assistant director of the division of criminal investigation for the Iowa Department of Public Safety of the tragedy: ‘You go to these places because of the peace and serenity and beauty and it certainly is gorgeous over there, and you certainly don’t expect something like this to happen.’
Except when you do…
