“I just fell to the floor and played dead”: 88-year-old Quadruple Shooting victim speaks out
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (KRDO) -- 88-year-old Carrie Barnhill is currently recovering from multiple gunshots to her feet, after a man opened fire on Barnhill, her sister, her brother-in-law, and neighbor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The shooter claimed the life of her 82-year-old sister, Shirley Mallory, and left Barnhill and Mallory's husband in the hospital.
"This is terrible," said Greg Mallory, the son of Shirley Mallory. "You know, somebody came on a porch and shot at an 88, 85, 82, and 65 year-old while they're sitting on a porch. You know, they don't hurt anybody, they don't go after anybody or whatever, and my mom and dad kept to themselves."
Carrie Barnhill had just arrived in Milwaukee from Colorado Springs to visit her sister and brother-in-law.
Laughter can be heard from a neighbor's surveillance video after 9:00 p.m. Wednesday night, just seconds before the gunman opens fire.
Barnhill says she instantly dropped to the floor, staying down despite the multiple gunshots to her feet.
Her brother-in-law who was inside the house ran to the front porch to check on his wife. Then he was shot.
"All I remember is waiting for the next shot," said Barnhill. "Waiting, waiting, waiting for myself to be shot."
As Barnhill laid as still as she could, her brother-in-law crawled to the phone to call 911. She says she didn't move until the police arrived.
"The policeman came and he knelt down and he refused to let me look," said Barnhill. "So I saw them take my sister and I knew that my sister was dead."
Greg Mallory's flight from Colorado Springs to Milwaukee was the next day. He planned to meet his parents and his aunt, Barnhill, to spend time catching up.
Wednesday night, Greg says he got the call from his parents' neighbor that something was wrong.
"So I tried to call the house and I got my auntie, and my auntie is hysterical on the phone, saying, Yeah, I've been shot, Greg. I've been shot. Your dad been shot. I don't know where your mom is at," said Greg. "The feeling is, it's like you're having a bad dream and you can't wake up."
Mallory says his family has known the alleged shooter for years. They knew he had mental problems, but they never expected he was capable of this level of violence.
"The young man that shot us... I love him. I pray for him. I don't have to like his ways. But in order for me to be able to be in touch with God, I have to love him. So that's how I feel about it today."
Carrie Barnhill
