Mom, brother-in-law shot by dad; 7 children were in the home (Barton County, Kansas)

Dad SHAWN NEY has been charged with attempted 1st-degree murder after he shot his "estranged" wife and brother-in-law. The Neys' three children were in the home at the time of the shooting (Daddy Dearest apparently broke into the home) as were the brother-in-law's four children.

The media needs to stop with such inane stupidities as "marital woes" leading to the "alleged shootings." There were no "woes" in play here. "Woes" don't carry guns, break into houses, or shoot people. Nope, what we have here was was an abuser/criminal who forced his way into the home, possibly under the influence of drugs, who shot two adults while seven traumatized children were present. The abuser/criminal apparently had been threatening suicide as well. Then the abuser/criminal initiated a police standoff at his own home and "allegedly" started a fire there. When police tried to arrest him, the abuser/criminal "allegedly" discharged a shotgun.

So lots of abuser-initiated daddy drama here. And not much evidence of "woes" nonsense. Why is it that the press has such a hard time assigning responsibility of criminal acts to the criminal perpetrator? Especially when it's a father? Had this guy shot up a factory would we be talking about "woes" being the cause?

http://www.gbtribune.com/news.php?id=3946

Domestic violence suspected cause of shootings
By SUSAN THACKER
July 12, 2010 @ 9:57pm

Saturday morning’s double shooting in rural Barton County reportedly began as a case of domestic violence. Reports show seven children were in the house at 48 NE 20 Road when Shawn Ney, 32, allegedly shot his estranged wife Sarah Ney and her sister’s husband, Steven Calderwood, sometime around 11:30 a.m. at Calderwood’s home.

The victims were taken to Great Bend’s two hospitals and then flown to two Wichita hospitals on Saturday. As of Monday evening, Calderwood was in critical condition at Wesley Medical Center and Sarah Ney was in fair condition at Via Christi Medical Center’s St. Francis Hospital, according to staff at the hospitals.

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office’s daily log of calls for service shows Sarah Ney called 911 saying her soon-to-be ex-husband was there threatening to kill himself, and that he might have a shotgun. She said recently he sent her pictures of empty pill bottles.

Sarah Ney hung up after a scream, and one of the children called 911 again at 11:42 a.m., reporting Calderwood had been shot in both legs and Sarah Ney had been shot in one leg.

Shawn Ney reportedly drove to his house at 723 North Fourth St. in Hoisington and refused to come out. After a standoff of several hours Saturday, he allegedly spread gasoline around the house and started a fire. Sheriff Greg Armstrong said when officers on the Critical Response Team did enter the house, Ney discharged a shotgun. He was subdued using an electronic shocking device and is now in custody at the Barton County Jail.

Armstrong said Monday that all future statements on the case would come from Barton County Attorney Douglas Matthews.

The front page of the official incident report, which is a public record, notes three juveniles were in Calderwood’s house when Shawn Ney allegedly forced open the front door and entered. While authorities believe drugs played a part in the incident, the Hutchinson News reported that family members said marital woes led to the alleged shootings. The Hutchinson News and KNS-TV also report the incident happened in front of the Neys’ three children and four of Calderwood’s children.

Records in Barton County District Court show Sarah Ney filed for a protection from abuse order against Shawn Ney in December 2004, but it was dismissed later that month.
Although Ney was booked into jail on charges of attempted first degree murder and endangering a child, it will be up to the county attorney to determine and file any formal charges. The county attorney’s office spent much of the day Monday reviewing the case, and it was not clear when Shawn Ney would make his first court appearance.