Mom, dad and six-year-old girl are shot dead in horror attack at campground by gunman with ‘no connection’ to family
A MOM, dad and their six-year-old daughter have been shot dead at an Iowa campsite in an attack by a gunman who later took his own life, police say.
Tyler and Sarah Schmidt, both 42, were killed alongside their daughter, Lula, at around 6am at Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground in Iowa on Friday.
They were found dead in their tent early Friday morning.
The alleged shooter, Anthony Sherwin, 23, from Nebraska was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound five hours later, officials said.
Tyler and Sarah's oldest child, nine-year-old Arlo, survived the shooting, according to Cedar Falls Mayor, Rob Green.
Police have so far found no connection between Sherwin and the family from Cedar Falls, according to .
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The campground was evacuated on Friday and authorities made a perimeter around the park.
In a Facebook post, Green said he was "devastated" and knew Sarah, an employee of the local public library, well.
" I've notified neighbors, and for those of you just learning about this through this post, I am so sorry," he said.
"Details will be forthcoming about services and other memorials, and I will ensure the community knows about this."
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"She & her family were regular walkers here in the Sartori Park neighborhood," Green said.
"I was working with her this week on a public library tech presentation for Tuesday."
He continued: "Please offer some extra grace to the Schmidts' many friends, neighbors, and coworkers as we try to process this horrible tragedy."
According to his Linkedin profile, Tyler was a graduate of Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, and was an engineer.
The Cedar Falls Library will be closed on Sunday "for the sake of the staff who loved and worked with Sarah," Green said.
Sarah's sister, Jana Morehouse, told , that the area was an important part of Sarah and Tyler’s lives.
“They were Jayhawks through and through, and Sarah, especially, was a huge basketball fan,” Morehouse said.
“I am incredibly happy this year was one for the books that we all celebrated as a family.”
, a friend of Sarah's after meeting at a mom's group right years ago, expressed her shock over the event on Facebook.
"Sarah was the nicest person and so helpful and supportive."
"She moved and so did I, but we still had our mom’s FB group and would keep in touch.
"I’m very shocked, confused, and heartbroken."
The park will remain closed until further notice.
Felicia Coe, 35, of Des Moines, told ABC News she saw Arlo standing near paramedics.
“He was in his pajamas. I distinctly remember he had one blue tennis shoe,” she said.
“He’s got this really cute, floppy-curly, moppy, strawberry-blond hair that’s really distinguishable,” Coe said. “He was in these super cute little pajamas, like a cotton T-shirt and shorts that matched. ... He was just standing there.
"He wasn’t crying. "
"He wasn’t distraught. But he also wasn’t being comforted. He was just standing there by himself.”
Mayor Green also shared a for Tyler and Sarah's surviving son, Arlo, which has raised around $80,000.
According to the GoFundMe page, the money will go towards helping Arlo now and his future education.
"Arlo is a strong boy, surrounded by family and friends who are supporting him as best we can," the page said.
"Sarah’s family and friends will be traveling to Iowa to be with Arlo and make funeral arrangements," according to a fundraising page.
"The library will be accepting cards, mementos, drawings, etc. in remembrance of the Schmidt Family, as Sarah was a beloved library employee," Green said.
"This is a natural part of the grieving process."
A nearby children's camp, Camp Shalom, was also asked to evacuate on Friday.
“This is the world we live in,” Beth Sallak, an executive assistant at Camp Shalom said.
“So we have to train for things like this, and [the camp members] handled everything incredibly well.”
Governor Kim Reynolds said on Friday:
“I’m horrified by the shooting this morning at Maquoketa Caves State Park and devastated by the loss of three innocent lives."
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"As we grieve this unimaginable tragedy, Kevin and I pray for the victims’ family members and the law enforcement officers who responded to the scene. We ask Iowans to do the same."
The Iowa Department of Public Safety has said that this is an ongoing investigation.