An assistant principal at an Illinois middle school and her mother were killed by the educator’s husband in a murder-suicide outside the building Tuesday.
The Berwyn Police Department initially described the 4 p.m. incident outside Lincoln Middle School in suburban Berwyn as “domestic-related” before providing an update Wednesday identifying the victims as assistant principal Nerissa Lee, 46, and her mother.
Police said a man was shooting a rifle into a car when officers arrived. The gunman fired at officers, who took cover, and then turned the gun on himself and died at the scene.
The suspect was identified as Steven Lee, 54, Lee’s husband. The victims’ family said the couple’s relationship had recently reached a “boiling point.”
Shana Everage, Lee’s sister, said the pair had been having domestic issues since the start of the summer and it “didn’t come out of the blue.
“I mean it’s a horrible thing, you know I have a lot of emotions. I don’t quite know what to feel,” Everage told NBC Chicago.
“The impact of this loss is felt deeply not only within the school community but throughout Berwyn. Assistant Principal Lee was a dedicated educator and leader who touched the lives of countless students and staff members,” police said in a statement.
Classes at the school resumed Thursday.
Berwyn is located about 10 miles outside of Chicago.
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