ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — Shonna Sheckles, director of outreach and a victim's advocate at SpringHaven in Hardin County, said she saw 46-year-old Christopher Elder minutes before police said he fatally shot his ex-girlfriend and her mother on Monday.
"As he passed me, our eyes met, and it just didn't feel right," said Sheckles.
She knew something was off when she heard loud music coming from Elder's car. Sheckles didn't think about it too much and continued walking across the street to meet with a co-worker to walk inside the Hardin County courthouse.
"She said, 'Miss Shonna I think I hear gunshots' and I said if we're hearing gunshots I think we need to go inside," Sheckles said.
They went inside the courthouse and found everyone inside on the ground hiding from gunshots.
Sheckles looked out the window and saw police cars everywhere.
"There was two people down, it was in between cars and there was a body over to my right and that person was not moving," she said.
She looked at her docket and found out 37-year-old Erica Riley was the woman outside. Her mother, 71-year-old Janet Riley, was taken to the hospital where she later died.
Police said Elder drove off from the scene and was eventually found in western Kentucky. The Hopkinsville Police Department said Elder was armed with a rifle and pointed it at officers multiple times during the chase.
The department said that situation ended in a 90-minute standoff in which Elder shot himself. He was airlifted to Tennessee's Vanderbilt Hospital in critical condition.
"I did not get the opportunity to be that voice for her because she was gunned down before she could even get to me and the services that I have to offer," Sheckles said.
This shooting now has Sheckles and Georgia Hensley, the chief executive officer of SpringHaven's domestic violence program, re-thinking ways to make the emergency protective order process safer.
"That barrier in between temporary orders and permanency requires a hearing that is a full fledged trial nowadays," Hensley said.
She said about 50% of those orders are denied in Hardin County.
"Who's to say if she had even made it in the courthouse doors she would have received a restraining order," Hensley said.
Elizabethtown is still stunned by the extreme violence.
"She did not deserve that," said Sheckles.
SpringHaven will be hosting a candlelight vigil on Wednesday Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. in from of the Hardin County Courthouse to honor Erica's life and other victims of domestic violence.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours by calling 800-799-7233.
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