Friends Of Shooting Victims Weigh In On Herkimer & Mohawk Tragedy
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: March 14, 2013
And it's important not to lose sight that four people lost their lives
in this tragedy. The shock may be wearing off for some, but for others
the grieving is just beginning. Friends of some of the shooting victims
say their hearts are heavy tonight.
"You just couldn't ask for a better person and its hard to understand how something like this could happen to such a nice guy," says Shannon Marlowe, friend of late-victim Thomas Stefka .
Marlowe is a former employee at Gaffey's Car Wash and he's a friend to the now-late Thomas Stefka.
"Never expect something like this to happen to anyone around here especially someone like Tom... He has a few kids, all of whom are older and very closely involved with his family," says Marlowe.
Mr. Stefka was killed in Wednesday's shooting in Herkimer.In Mohawk, John Seymour, the owner of John's Barber Shop was shot, but survived. He is being treated at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center and reports say he is in fair condition.
"I'm very relived that he did get thru the surgery okay and im very relieved for his mother, being 100 years old, she still has the one person that takes good care of her," says Renee Pierce, friend of victim, John Seymour.
Those who know him say john is like a father figure to the whole community.
"Being known throughout the valley, hes just really personable with everybody that you just feel like hes almost part of your family, so it was very upsetting. He's a great person, do anything for anybody," says Pierce.
And the grieving has only begun. The people we spoke with say at the beginning of the day, they never would have thought they'd be considering funeral arrangements for their friends.
"You just couldn't ask for a better person and its hard to understand how something like this could happen to such a nice guy," says Shannon Marlowe, friend of late-victim Thomas Stefka .
Marlowe is a former employee at Gaffey's Car Wash and he's a friend to the now-late Thomas Stefka.
"Never expect something like this to happen to anyone around here especially someone like Tom... He has a few kids, all of whom are older and very closely involved with his family," says Marlowe.
Mr. Stefka was killed in Wednesday's shooting in Herkimer.In Mohawk, John Seymour, the owner of John's Barber Shop was shot, but survived. He is being treated at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center and reports say he is in fair condition.
"I'm very relived that he did get thru the surgery okay and im very relieved for his mother, being 100 years old, she still has the one person that takes good care of her," says Renee Pierce, friend of victim, John Seymour.
Those who know him say john is like a father figure to the whole community.
"Being known throughout the valley, hes just really personable with everybody that you just feel like hes almost part of your family, so it was very upsetting. He's a great person, do anything for anybody," says Pierce.
And the grieving has only begun. The people we spoke with say at the beginning of the day, they never would have thought they'd be considering funeral arrangements for their friends.
