Victims of Alabama shooting rampage have ties to Kansas

A shooting rampage hundreds of miles away has rocked Sumner County with the news that two of its own are among the victims.

Andrea Myers, 31, and her 18 month-old daughter Corrine Myers were gunned down as they were visiting the relatives of the gunman — who were neighbors — Tuesday night. The two are among 11 listed dead, including the suspected gunman, Michael McLendon.
   
"He cleaned his family out," Coffee County (Ala.) Coroner Robert Preachers told The Associated Press. "We don't know what triggered it."

Police say McLendon killed his mother and burned down her house, then drove 12 miles to a relative’s house, where he gunned down six people. He then drove around randomly shooting people, killing three more. 

Geneva County (Ala.) Deputy Josh Myers, the husband and father of the two local victims, was helping with the shooting case when he got a call about this own family.
   
“We got notified on the radio that a trooper was chasing a suspect that had fired shots,” Myers said in a press release issued by the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department. The former Sumner County deputy and Belle Plaine police officer was called by a friend, who told him his wife and daughter had been killed.

The Myers’ 4 month-old infant daughter Ella also was shot and was taken to a hospital, while son Isaac was uninjured.

The family had moved to Alabama — Josh Myers’ home state — about a year ago, Sumner County Sheriff Gerald Gilkey said. They had previously lived in Belle Plaine.

Belle Plaine Police Chief Gordon Fell knew Myers from their time together on the SWAT team.

“I’m in disbelief that such a thing would happen,” he said.

His family was good friends with the Myers’ when they lived in Belle Plaine. Fell says his friend is in “complete shock.”

“We do the job and it’s a risk that we take but you really don’t think about your family, kids being involved in a matter like that. We know it because we do it everyday but realistically we don’t think about the chances your family could be involved in something.”

Capt. Lowell Ester of the Mulvane Fire Department knew Andrea Myers from her time as a volunteer firefighter from 2002 to 2004.

A woman who could hold her own with any of her male cohorts, Myers was a loving mother and wife, he said. The Mulvane woman graduated from Mulvane High School in 1996 and was described as a hard worker by Ester.

“She was very loving. Loved kids ... I think she was very happy what she did and how she lived her life.” Ester said.

“It’s hard because a lot of these people went to school with her or are related to her ... it’s your typical small town. Even if they didn’t know her, people are taking on the attitude of ‘What can we do to help?’”

The captain says he and those who know the Myers family still can’t believe the news.

“I just can’t imagine what Josh had to go through, to get a call while on duty that your wife and daughter had been killed,” Ester said.

A fund has been established by the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department to help with the financial burdens that will arise from the tragedy.

Donations may be sent to The Josh Myers Family Fund, c/o First National Bank, 206 E. Harvey, Wellington, KS 67152.

Wellington Daily News