New Amish school to open after shooting:
On Monday, a new school for the Amish children of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania will open.
The new school replaces the one where Charles Carl Roberts barricaded himself inside and shot many of the students inside, killing several before turning the gun on himself.
The new school has been aptly named The New Hope Amish School.
Amish schoolhouse gunman was drug-free:
Lancaster County Coroner Gary Kirchner has announced that no drugs were found in the system of Charles Carl Roberts IV, the Amish school shooter. This just makes his actions even more puzzling.
Statement from the Roberts’ family released:
The family of Charles Roberts, the Amish school gunman that killed 5 girls, has released the following statement to the public…
From the Roberts family:
To our Amish friends, neighbors, and local community:
Our family wants each of you to know that we are overwhelmed by the forgiveness, grace, and mercy that you’ve extended to us. Your love for our family has helped to provide the healing we so desperately need. The prayers, flowers, cards, and gifts you’ve given have touched our hearts in a way no words can describe. Your compassion has reached beyond our family, beyond our community, and is changing our world, and for this we sincerely thank you.
Please know that our hearts have been broken by all that has happened. We are filled with sorrow for all of our Amish neighbors whom we have loved and continue to love. We know that there are many hard days ahead for all the families who lost loved ones, and so we will continue to put our hope and trust in God of all comfort, as we all seek to rebuild our lives.
Roberts to Amish: You’ll pay for my baby:
It appears that Charles Carl Roberts’ motive was more about the loss of his daughter than about the alleged molestation of relatives 20 years ago…
Charles Carl Roberts IV, after barricading the doors and dismissing all but the 10 Amish girls, pointed his gun at the children.
“I’m going to make you pay for my daughter,’’ state police said Roberts told them.
Police believe Roberts intended to sexually assault the girls, based on lubricating jelly they found in his belongings that morning, but never got the chance.
If you’ll remember, Roberts lost his first daughter, Elise, when she died shortly after being born. In my opinion, it sounds like he wanted to torture them more than sexually assault them.
Roberts is buried next to his daughter.
And as mentioned yesterday, the school-house where the shootings took place has been demolished.
Grave of Amish schoolhouse gunman desecrated:
Desecrated is a pretty harsh word. I’d say vandalized. But any way you put it, the grave of Charles Roberts, the gunman who killed 5 girls in the Amish school shooting, has been defiled…
Someone trashed the freshly dug grave of the man who shot 10 Amish girls last week, killing five of them before he reloaded his pistol and killed himself.
Tuesday morning “was the first incident where the grave site was damaged,” said state police Trooper David Fedorshak. “The caretaker’s wife was walking through the cemetery about 7 a.m. when she noticed the grave was kicked about. Flowers and a stuffed animal stomped on and kicked around there, the flowers ripped out and thrown around.”
I get the feeling it won’t be the last time, either.
In other news from Dutch Pennsylvania, Roberts is not a suspect in any other crimes.
The schoolhouse where the shooting took place is scheduled for demolition tomorrow.
Area hospitals that treated the victims of the shooting are waiving the costs to treat them.
Roberts eyed in sex attack on Amish woman in 2005:
Charles Carl Roberts IV, the gunman in the Amish school shooting, is being looked at as a possible suspect in the 2005 attempted rape of an Amish woman in her home.
The victim’s father, who interrupted the assault, said that neither he nor his daughter got a good look at the attacker because it was dark at the time. And they have no definitive proof it was Roberts.
Police are investigating by comparing fingerprints from both crime scenes.
Roberts lived less than one-quarter mile from the victim.
Family Asks For Prayers As Girl Shows Some Improvement:
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Lancaster County’s coroner said one of the Amish girls was released from the hospital Thursday and brought home to die. Since then, News 8 has learned that the 6-year-old victim was taken back to the hospital because she began showing signs of improvement.
“I promised the families not to talk a lot about what’s happening right now,” said Rev. Rob Schenck of the National Clergy Council. “I will say there is a lot of talk of miracles and answer to prayers. And one of the families said to me, ‘There’s always something to thank God for.’”
The victim’s family has not said much. But they have asked for prayers. They said they appreciate all of the prayers and well wishes and think that they are making a difference.
I’ll still be praying for this girl’s survival. I hope you will as well.
Thanks to Magz for the tip.
Amish Shooting Victim Taken Off Life Support:
GEORGETOWN, Pa. (AP) — The number of dead from Monday’s Amish schoolhouse shooting could soon rise by one more.
A county coroner and a doctor who serves Amish children said it appears that one of the survivors is being taken off life-support and taken home to die.
I can’t even imagine the pain that family must be going through right now.
My heart breaks for them and my prayers are with them.
Kin Say School Gunman Didn’t Molest Them:
NICKEL MINES, Pa. — Two relatives of the man who attacked an Amish school said they were not molested by him 20 years ago as he had claimed, investigators said Wednesday.
Charles Carl Roberts IV, 32, revealed to his family in notes he left behind and in a cell phone call to his wife from inside the West Nickel Mines Amish School that he was tormented by memories of molesting his two young relatives 20 years ago. He also spoke of having dreams about doing it again.
Investigators spoke to the two women, who would have been 4 or 5 at the time, and they said there was no such abuse.
“Both of them have no recollection of being sexually assaulted by Roberts,” state police Trooper Linette Quinn said.”They were absolutely sure they had no contact with Roberts.”
Which makes his victims’ deaths even more pointless.
Amish school gunman bought supplies 6 days before killings:
It seems that Charles Roberts was planning his deadly siege of the Amish school days before the attack. According to the article, he bought most of his supplies six days before the siege. That means that Roberts already had his siege in mind before Duane Morrison shot and killed a female hostage and himself at Platte Canyon High School in Colorado. Still, one has to wonder if the Platte Canyon siege further egged on Roberts’ desire to molest and kill. Even more disturbing than the fact that sexual lubricant was found at the crime scene was this…
A piece of lumber found in the school had 10 large eyebolts spaced about 10 inches apart, suggesting that Roberts may have planned to truss up the girls and sexually assault them.
The article also states that the relatives that Roberts claims to have molested are being interviewed by police.
The article also contains a list of the casualties…
The victims were identified as Naomi Rose Ebersole, 7; Anna Mae Stoltzfus, 12; Marian Fisher, 13; Mary Liz Miller, 8; and her sister Lena Miller, 7.
May God have mercy on your soul, Charles Carl Roberts IV.