|
Amish girl: Shoot me first
05/10/2006 21:39 - (SA)
Veronica Smith
Nickel Mines - Amish families streamed down closed roads in a mournful parade of horse-drawn buggies on Thursday to bury schoolgirl victims of the shootings which horrified their peaceable community.
As four of the five victims were laid to rest in their Pennsylvania community, tales of selfless heroism emerged of one victim who reportedly asked killer Charles Roberts to "shoot me first," to buy time for her classmates.
And the grief looked set to deepen, as US media reports said one critically wounded schoolgirl had been taken off life support in hospital and taken home to die.
The reclusive community, which disdains trappings of the modern world, turned in on itself, as hundreds of mourners gathered at simple funeral rites for each child. All the girls were laid out at home in a plain white dress.
Tremendous calm
Ceremonies were carried out for Naomi Rose Ebersole, seven, Marian Fisher, 13, Mary Liz Miller, eight, and her seven-year-old sister, Lena, who all died in the simple one-room schoolhouse before Roberts turned the gun on himself.
Police sealed off roads leading into the small town of Nickel Mines. There was also a no-fly zone to stop media helicopters buzzing overhead.
As the services went ahead, ABC News reported a stunning tale of bravery from the oldest victim, Marian Fisher, who reportedly stepped forward and told Roberts to gun her down in a bid to save her classmates.
"Shoot me first," Fisher said, ABC quoted Rita Rhodes, a midwife who delivered some of the victims.
Fisher's younger sister Barbie, who survived, then reportedly said : "Shoot me second."
"There was a tremendous amount of calm and courage in that schoolroom," said Rhodes.
The funeral for Ebersole was first and was followed by a cortege to the hilltop Georgetown Amish cemetery for a simple burial.
A large black carriage carried the coffin and was followed by Amish families in 32 horse-drawn buggies and two big open carriages.
A sign in front of one house on the route said "Our thoughts and prayers to all the families".
The other ceremonies were to follow and the funeral of 12-year-old Anna Mae Stoltzfus was planned for Friday.
He said he was angry at God
Officials at the Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey refused to comment on the reports that a sixth victim had been taken home to die, citing a family request for confidentiality.
Four other girls aged between six and 13 remain in hospital in critical or serious condition.
Roberts, who was armed with a handgun, shotgun and other weapons, lined the girls up against a blackboard and shot them "execution-style".
Police believe the 32-year-old father of three had planned to sexually assault the girls.
The father of several survivors of the Amish school killings meanwhile told how girls questioned the gunman as to why he was carrying out the attack before he opened fire.
Leroy Zook told the New York Times: "And he told them why: He's angry at God, he's just bitter. He told them that they're supposed to pray for him..."
Roberts barged into the school on Monday, separated boys and girls and barred the doors with wooden planks before carrying out the killings.
- AFP
|
News
