Six-year-old Alyse Williams and her sister Ava, 9, were shot dead by 32-year-old dad Aaron D. Williams – who has previously been charged with domestic violence, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
Erica Osborn, a family friend, has organized a GoFundMe campaign to help the girls’ mother Vanecia Kirkland cover financial burdens after losing her two daughters.
“This is definitely a very hard time for Vanecia. Seeing the community come together to support her is very heartwarming because Ava and Alyse touched the hearts of so many people,” she said.
“Continue to keep her and her family and the responders, as well as the hospital staff, in your prayers. This is definitely a horrific trauma.”
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Cops witnessed the horror as they arrived at the scene after being called to a domestic incident in Muirwood Village Drive in Columbus, Ohio.
Police arrived on the scene and were directed towards an apartment on Danwood Drive off the north side of Hill Road.
As they pulled up to the property, the officers chillingly heard multiple gunshots coming from inside.
Cops entered and discovered the girls suffering from gunshots wounds, as well as Williams who was later declared dead by suicide at 11.32pm.
Paramedics rushed the two little girls to Doctor’s West Hospital, but they tragically died within minutes of each other at 12.07am and 12.43am on Saturday.
Homicide detectives are now trying to piece together exactly what happened in the apparent murder suicide.
Forensics officers remained on the scene deep into the early hours looking for clues.
Pictures show a patrol car and a crime scene unit van parked by the apartment complex, which is cordoned off by police tape.
The triple shooting became the second and third homicide in Columbus just hours into 2021.
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