An assistant principal in Berwyn, Illinois, and her mother were fatally shot outside her school by her husband, who later turned the gun on himself.
Per NBC Chicago, the fatal September 16 incident occurred outside the Lincoln Middle School, where one of the deceased victims, identified as Nerissa Lee, worked as an assistant principal.
The Berwyn Police Department described the fatal triple shooting as domestic in nature, with Lee’s family also saying that her relationship with her husband, Steven, had gotten to a “boiling point” not too long before the incident.
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Authorities said that police officers responded to the scene of the shooting after they heard gunfire. The responding officers noticed a man armed with a rifle and shooting into a car. Police also said that the man fired at the officers as they drew near, adding that the officers took cover and did not fire back. Steven later turned the rifle on himself.
“I mean it’s a horrible thing, you know I have a lot of emotions. I don’t quite know what to feel,” Lee’s sister, Shana Everage, told NBC Chicago, adding that the fatal incident “didn’t come out of the blue.”
“It had started ever since, I want to say the tail end of June,” Everage continued. “And basically, the boiling point would have been [Tuesday].”
Lee’s death was also confirmed by the Berwyn North School District 98 in a statement. “It is with great sadness that I announce to you that Nerissa Lee, Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle school, lost her life in yesterday’s tragic shooting that occurred outside of Lincoln,” the statement said.
“The impact of this loss is deeply felt not only within the school community but throughout Berwyn,” police also said on Wednesday, September 17. “Assistant Principal Lee was a dedicated educator and leader who touched the lives of countless students and staff members.”
“In this difficult time, the Berwyn Police Department stands ready to support Berwyn North School District 98 in any way possible,” the police continued. “We urge community members to come together and offer their support to one another as we navigate this tragedy.”
The police added: “As we continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident, we remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community and supporting all affected by this tragedy.”
