Community Chat

[MorningLover]

ENOCH, Utah (AP) — A Utah man who fatally shot his five children, mother-in-law and wife and then killed himself removed guns owned by himself and his wife days before the murder-suicide, leaving the family “vulnerable,” a relative said Friday.

The wife, Tausha Haight, told her extended family that her husband, Mike Haight, took the guns from the family's home this week, just two weeks after she had filed for divorce, sister-in-law Jennie Earl told The Associated Press.

Earl said she did not know how Tausha Haight felt about the removal but said it “left the family vulnerable,” noting that both Tausha and her mother, Gail Earl, were trained in gun safety and personal protection.

Jennie Earl's comments came after the Earl family issued a statement lamenting the tragedy and revealing that guns had been removed.

“Protective arms were purposely removed from the home prior to the incident because all adults were properly trained to protect human life,” the Earl family said in a statement. “This is the type of loss that will continue to occur in families, communities and this nation when protective arms are no longer accessible.”

Enoch city manager Rob Dotson said local law enforcement were not involved, saying in an emailed statement that police “has never had reason and has never had to remove firearms.”

The revelation provides more insight into what happened in the days leading up to a shooting in a southern Utah home that occurred after Tausha Haight had filed for divorce on Dec. 21 from her husband of 19 years.

The victims were found Wednesday when police did a welfare check at the residence, according city officials in Enoch, a small town of about 8,000 people located 245 miles (394 kilometers) south of Salt Lake City.

Without knowing the details about how the shootings unfolded it is not clear whether having those firearms in the home could have helped stop the bloodshed, Jennie Earl said.

However, if either Tausha Haight or Gail Earl had a chance to defend their family, they would have been able to use the guns, she said.

“They could have because they had the skills to do it,” she said...

[meallen616]

For his entire family,so sad,

[lenapecci]

Until the laws change to better protect the victims of domestic violence this will continue to happen. A piece of paper from a restraining order is not enough. 

So many times the offender does not even get arrested or if they are given long sentences. And many times when they are often able to legally own guns.  

Mental health resources need to be more readily available. Although I am not sure if the offenders who believe that if I can't have her no one can, can ever be changed.  

[Mindy D]

@JoyFilled Warrior @There are some studies on the characteristics of family anihilators. The studies also delve into the circumstances the anihilators and family were enmeshed in. For more, google research on family anihilators or just family anihilators. 

[goldensrbest]

I honestly don't know what to think of people , seems to me he felt he owned them.

[Stelladorable]

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@CalminHeart wrote:

When divorce papers are filed is one of the know times that a abusers will kill or hurt the other spouse. So horrible.

One of our female senators voted against VAWA because it restricted gun purchases and access for the abusers. 

Sadly, my state voted in November election to not allow federal laws or any other laws to interfere with accesss to guns.

It all makes me sick!

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 Will it change in your lifetime? I've vowed if ever in that situation I would leave rather than stay and fight. I know I am privileged to have the choice.

[Snowpuppy]

No one needs to be "privileged" to leave an abusive situation. It's an informed decision to no longer live as a helpless victim.

While that small town may lack resources to help, there are many underground networks available that at a minimum help you get a plan of action together to keep you and family members safe.

Even my Gram who never worked outside the home always said "a girl should have a little pin money to keep on her". Just in case.

[Boomernichols]

@JaneMarple  Prayers for the family's survivors and friends.   There is a special place for the "man" in hell for his final resting place.

[DottieBlue]

It is known that the most dangerous time for domestic violence victims is when they try to leave.

Perhaps the wife was planning to stay in the home when the divorce papers were served and expected her husband to move out.  Then she wouldn't have had to find a place for 7 of them to stay--she had her own home.  

She may have never expected her husband would go this far.  But, if she did suspect he might and feared for their lives, her attorney should have advised her to leave the house with her mother and children, arranged a safe-house for them to go to, and then had the divorce papers served.  I think her attorney could have and should have prepared her better.

But even when they do get away from the situation, the husbands often track them down sooner or later if they are so angry and determined to kill them.

Where does the mentality of men like him come from?  Why do they believe they can control their wife and children and that their wife can't leave the marriage?  Because, thank goodness, not all men think like that.

[JaneMarple]

Another murder/suicide in High Point, NC with young children killed as well! What in the world have we become?????