Vigil honors victims killed in Hardin County shooting

Two days after a deadly double shooting in front of the Hardin County courthouse, community members gathered to reflect on the lives of Janet and Erica Riley.

The mother and daughter were killed in a parking lot, and the suspect, Christopher Elder, shot himself during a standoff with police.

Georgia Hensley, who practiced law, was the first to speak at the vigil.

"Standing in front of judges and courtrooms all across Kentucky doesn't prepare you for a day like this...doesn't prepare you for a day like Monday," Hensley, CEO of the Springhaven Domestic Violence Facility, said.

People made their way over to a fence, placing flowers honoring the victims from Monday's deadly double shooting.

"I've heard a lot of people say, well, you can't fix crazy. No, but we can prevent violence," Hensley added.

Hensley invited survivors of domestic violence to speak.

Family members of the victims gathered along with other community members. As they leaned on one another for support, a friend of Erica's for f15 years described Erica's character and work ethic.

"There's no bad thing you can say about her. Every person that knows her, they only have kind words to say.
She was so smart, she was so strong, she worked so hard, she worked full time, she built a life, she built a life for herself and her kids."

Chief Operating Officer Jessica Moore from Springhaven urged the crowd to get involved and to help survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

"This is a problem. This isn't a home issue, this is a community issue. Please help us fix this," Moore said.

Police are still investigating Monday's shooting in Hardin County. Another person was shot at the scene, an adult male, listed in stable condition.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for Erica Riley's children at this link: Fundraiser by Timothy Wallace : Support Erica Riley's Family After Tragedy (gofundme.com)