Police: Amish Community's Trauma 'Indescribable'

NICKEL MINES, Pa. -- The pastor at a nearby church said Monday's horrific shooting in a tiny Amish community makes it clear that "wherever people are, evil can reside."

And the people who live in Nickel Mines, Pa., said they wonder if the "innocence" of their children's voices will ever return.

State police Commissioner Jeffrey B. Miller called it a "horrendous" experience for the Amish residents who are "grieving together." And, he said, "The trauma on this community is almost indescribable."

Miller said a teacher had to run to a farm house to call police because, in keeping with Amish custom, there wasn't a phone at the school.

And when parents refused to fly in planes, again according to Amish tradition, they had to be driven to hospitals to see their children. And some were taken to the wrong hospitals in the confusion.

As Miller put it, "No one deserves this."

A fifth child is dead of wounds suffered in the shootings at the Amish schoolhouse Monday.

A hospital spokeswoman said the 7-year-old girl died about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday at Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey, Pa.

"Her parents were with her and they removed life support. And she passed shortly thereafter," said hospital spokeswoman Amy Buehlerstranges.

Another child had been taken to Christiana Hospital, in Delaware. That child died about 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to state police spokeswoman Linette Quinn.

A 6-year-old girl remains in critical condition and a 13-year-old girl is in serious condition at Penn State Children's. Their names are not being released.

Buehlerstranges said the hospital is trying to give families a lot of space, adding that it has been an extremely difficult time for them.

Six other girls remained hospitalized Tuesday morning. Three, ages 8, 10 and 12, are listed in critical condition at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where a spokeswoman said they underwent surgery but remained in critical condition Tuesday.

Police said the gunman, Charles Carl Roberts IV, 32, killed himself. The names of the slain girls have not been released.

So far, five female students have died. Monday, police said a teacher's aide had been killed, but early Tuesday morning they said the aide was actually a student.

When Roberts invaded the one-room schoolhouse, he was very heavily armed.

According to state police, Roberts was carrying three guns, a bag with some 600 rounds of ammunition, two knives and a stun gun. And, in a sign that Roberts might have been planning for a long standoff, he had a change of clothes, toilet paper, and large pieces of wood he used to barricade the doors.

Roberts managed to get several shots off from a pistol and three blasts from a shotgun, at least one of which was aimed at police.

He killed at least five young girls and wounded six others, then killed himself.

Roberts sent the male students and some adult females out of the West Nickel Mines Amish School, Miller said. He then barricaded himself inside. Miller said Roberts had forced many of the children to line up against the blackboard and that he bound their feet with wire ties and flex cuffs.

"He apparently told the kids to line up, " Miller said. "He began to tie the female children's feet together."

"He bound the female students up by the blackboard and apparently executed them," Miller said. "These victims were shot execution-style in the head."

As for a motive, investigators said he was killing young girls as revenge for something from 20 years back, though they're not saying what that is. Police said Roberts was not Amish and did not appear to have anything against them. They believe he saw the school as an easy mark to get his revenge from the event that happened when he was a child.

Another Possible Motive

Police said preliminary investigation indicates that the motive behind Monday's shooting may revolve around the death of a baby years ago.

Police said Roberts left behind a suicide note that made reference to the loss of a child. That child was born prematurely and died shortly after. That event occurred anywhere from three to nine years ago, according to police.

"(He) mentioned that he has had a hard time dealing with the loss of the child. And he mentioned that he blamed God for it," said Captain John Laufer of Pennsylvania State Police. Laufer stressed that this new information is preliminary. He also said that Roberts mentioned the child in his final conversation with his wife.

Laufer also said police do not think Roberts specifically targeted the Amish community. He said the school simply presented the opportunity to target a particular age group and sex.

Lancaster County District Attorney Don Totaro also said that the note made references to an event that happened 20 years ago. Totaro did not elaborate on that event.

Statement From Wife Of Charles Carl Roberts IV

Miller said Roberts was a husband, father of three and milk truck driver from nearby Bart, Pa. His wife said she suspected nothing Monday morning as her husband walked their children to the bus stop about 8:45 a.m. She said she left the house, then came home later to find what appeared to be several suicide notes to her and the children.

Miller said Roberts called his wife at 11 a.m., but did not tell her where he was. Roberts said to her during that call that he was acting out to achieve revenge for something that happened 20 years ago. He told her he loved her and he would not be home, but that the notes he left would explain it all. Miller did not elaborate on what the event was that caused him to want revenge 20 years later, but said that it appears he wanted to attack young, female victims -- which is why he chose the school.

"He told her he loved her and that was it," Miller said.

The following statement is from Marie Roberts, the wife of Charles Carl Roberts IV. It was read Monday by family spokesman Dwight LeFever:

"The man that did this today was not the Charlie I've been married to for almost 10 years. My husband was loving, supportive and thoughtful -- all the things you'd always want and more. He was an exceptional father. He took the kids to soccer practice and games, played ball in the backyard and took our 7-year-old daughter shopping. He never said no when I asked him to change a diaper. Our hearts are broken, our lives shattered and we grieve for the innocent lives that were lost today. Above all, please pray. Pray for the families who lost children today. Please pray for our family and children."

Community Prayer Vigil

The Worship Center in Lancaster, Pa., is hosting a community prayer vigil Tuesday evening for victims of Mondya's shooting.

The Rev. Don Neff said 10 local pastors and Christian singer Michael W. Smith plan to take part in the worship service.

Smith performed at a similar service in 1999 after the Columbine High School shootings in Colorado and honored one of the victims in his subsequent song and album "This Is Your Time."

Neff said it's the church's job to offer comfort and hope at times like this.