I’ve been asked to update about our community. I’m sorry that I have been silent about it. It’s just that when you live so near to something to horrible, you end up talking about it ALOT and at times, you need a break from it. But, not always being able to rely on the media for the truth, here is an update and the real truth (not necessarily what the media has printed).
Homecoming was the week of October 8-12. The night of the 13th (Saturday), people gathered for a party at this particular house. Not a pizza party, but a full blow party with all of the additions that come with a “real” party (there were other people who were at this party and they can attest to this. They happened to leave early. One of them left 20 minutes before hand. I wonder what that has to feel like. ). Anyway, Jordanne (the renter of the apartment) had broken up with Tyler a few days/weeks before and he was not invited. He showed up around 2:40 am and an argument was started (and it wasn’t just between Jordanne and Tyler. I believe everyone was involved in the dispute. This is what has been told be the lone survivor, Charlie). Names were called, insults were thrown about and, for what ever reason that we will never know, Tyler snapped. He went back out to his car, got his gun, came back in and started shooting. You can see the imprint of his foot in the door when he kicked it in.
I would like to clarify here that Tyler was not the monster that some (the media) has made him out to be. I didn’t know him real well, only met him a couple of times, but everyone I speak to who did know him well, testifies that he was a nice guy. He was level headed, calm, not a drinker, not given in to a temper…. in other words, certainly not the type of person who anyone would imagine could (or would) do something like this. Have you ever met a person who is just a bit (or more) “off”, there’s just something not right about them, and if you ever heard that they had done something like this, you wouldn’t be surprised? Well, Tyler wasn’t one of those people. Which I think makes this even more shocking. And sad.
Jordanne father, who owns the house, was upstairs in the other apartment (this house is a duplex) and I believe he is the one who called the police. As the officer was approaching the house in his car, Tyler shot at the car (these are the shots that I heard). Thankfully, the officer wasn’t hurt. Tyler sped away and the hunt was on. At some point, Tyler saw his mother and his grandmother to say goodbye. He obviously knew his life was over. He was “hiding out” in a cabin north of us and at some point, took two people hostage. Mike, a good friend of his who went there to talk with him, and Mike’s wife. I’m not sure how “hostage”they actually were. He might have said that they couldn’t leave the cabin, but I think that is the extent of the threats. Mike spoke about how remorseful Tyler was about what had happened.
Eventually, Tyler ran out of the cabin and was being chased buy the police. He was shot in the upper arm buy a sniper, but then took his own life. I’ve been told that he shot himself, putting the gun at his chin and firing upward. Twice. When those two shots “didn’t work”, he shot himself in the temple. How he could have been “with it” enough to do this last shot, I don’t know. He died of Mike’s land.
School has been out since last Friday and will resume this Friday. The funerals also began last Thursday and Tyler’s’ will be the last one, on Thursday (tomorrow). Jordanne’s father has said that he will tear down the house and build a memorial of some sort. He just can’t stand to even look at the house. The whole front porch is just covered in flowers and notes. So far, I don’t hear of any negative feelings the families have shown toward each other (one of my sister in laws is “in the know”, so she is a reliable source). How I pray that this is true and stays true! Thankfully, the media has gone away. They were getting really bad!! Once this week is over, it’s time for the families to start healing.
This is a dark county that we live in. Satan has a strong grip on this area and has for a long time. We are praying that God uses this tragedy to reach people. We see signs all over town about “God bless Crandon” and the like. We pray that these signs, and other sentiments spoken, are from the heart of a repentive person, and not just something that we know we should say but don’t really mean. 3 of the funerals have/will be at the non-denominational church, 2 at the Catholic church and 1 at the Baptist church here in town. I don’t know the standing of the families, and the victims, before God.
I think it’s good to remember that we are all capable of doing something like this. We don’t like to admit this, but it’s true. This is what sin allows into our lives. If Satan can get a foothold in your life, there no telling what can happen. That is why Christ is so vital to our lives. He brings the Holy Spirit who guides us through the many temptations that we face. That’s not to say that as Christians, we become immune to Satan and his goons or to our sinful nature. We are still capable of sinning and still capable of doing horrendous things. But with the Holy Spirit in our lives, we are stronger to with stand the dark side and our sinful nature.
Our lives can end in a moment. Know one is promised tomorrow. Or even the rest of the day. How are you living your life? When your life is required of you, where will you stand? When n0 one is watching, what are you doing? Thinking? Are your actions or thoughts something that would please you to share with Jesus? Or would you be ashamed, embarrassed? It is not possible for us to live 100% pure lives. I know that and so does God. Take advantage of the gifts He has given us all through Jesus Christ, His Son. Repent and believe. And the day that we do stand in front of our Lord, we can stand tall, with our head held high, covered in the blood of Christ.