Staff report
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com and gogle@wbcowqel.com
The communities of Willard and New Washington continue to try to come to grips with Wednesday’s tragic ending to a hostage situation at the Willard Family Dollar store. Killed by gunman Shawn Schuett was New Washington mother of three, 48-year-old Kimberly Kelley.
Kelley was working at the store when the 19-year-old Schuett entered with a .22-caliber rifle and barricaded the doors. Schuett took Kelley and another clerk hostage and fatally shot Kelley and himself after a three-hour standoff with police. Kelley died from her wounds after being flown from Willard Mercy Hospital by medical helicopter to Toledo St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
According to a press release from Buckeye Central Superintendent Tara Meyerink, who did not identify the shooting victim by name, one of Kelley’s children is a middle school student in the Buckeye Central School District. Meyerink stated that the Crawford County Trauma Debriefing Team had been activated to Buckeye Central to support the school’s students and staff. She offered her condolences to the family.