Mom, dad and daughter murdered while camping in Iowa Transcript

Michael: (00:00)
We turn to a family camping tragedy in Iowa. A six-year-old girl and her parents shot to death, only her nine-year-old brother survived. Police say the suspected gunman was found dead nearby. They are searching for a motive this morning. Will Reeve joins with that. Good morning, Will.

Will Reeve: (00:15)
Good morning, Michael. It’s unfathomable, this family camping, three of them killed seemingly randomly. When authorities found them, they evacuated the campground. And one camper was at first unaccounted for, the suspected killer.

Speaker 3: (00:30)
Reports of possible shooting.

Will Reeve: (00:31)
This morning, a community shocked and grieving after three of this family of four were found dead in a horrific murder-suicide at an Iowa campground.

Adam Morehouse: (00:39)
If he would’ve given me 50 million things that were going to come from the other end of that phone, I never would’ve guessed 50 million in 1 was the outcome of what’s happened.

Will Reeve: (00:49)
Tyler and Sarah Schmidt and their six-year-old daughter Lulo were found dead in their tent at the Maquoketa State Park campground Friday. Their nine-year-old son Arlo surviving, running to get help.

Speaker 3: (01:08)
A report of a child who went to another camper said that there was a possible shooting in his camper, parents were in there.

Adam Morehouse: (01:08)
There is a nine-year-old now who needs to be supported with more love than ever, and that is the only way that we’ll be able to continue on in remembering their legacy.

Will Reeve: (01:18)
The family from Cedar Falls was on vacation. Sarah’s heartbroken younger brother Adam Morehouse hopes the community will remember them for their altruism.

Adam Morehouse: (01:26)
They were the quintessential Midwestern couple and family of four. They were very supportive of everything you’ve ever done, and more importantly was how much they put everybody else first in virtually everything they did.

Speaker 3: (01:40)
Stranger wearing all black got in the tent, had some sort of a small gun, and he took off running.

Will Reeve: (01:46)
Authorities say the suspected killer was found dead nearby in an apparent suicide. They believe 23-year-old Anthony Sherwin of Nebraska had a gun. They’re investigating any possible connection to the family he’s believed to have killed. The mother of the suspect, who was also at the park at the time of the shooting, telling a Nebraska newspaper she refuses to believe the news, writing in a statement to ABC News, “He gave us no warning that he was planning anything of this sort. Anthony was not capable of this sort of violence.” But authorities say all indicators point to the suspect.

Mitch Mortved: (02:16)
There’s nothing to indicate that there was anyone else responsible or anyone else acting with him.

Will Reeve: (02:22)
Investigators tell ABC News nothing like this has ever happened at the camp. Sarah Schmidt’s brother says nine-year-old Arlo is safe with family in Cedar Falls, and he described him as an amazing, bright, young child who’s been a courageous little man in all of this. Police are still searching for a motive for the shooting as they await autopsy results.

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