The Muscatine community gathered together Tuesday night, filling the stands of the high school football field bleachers in the wake of a series of shootings that killed seven people, including the gunman.
Muscatine Police Chief Anthony Kies, during the vigil, identified the victims of the June 1 shooting as Lesa McFarland, 51; Dakota Whitlow, 32; Austin Harris, 29; Ryle McFarland, 20; Mark McFarland, 16; and Ryan McFarland Jr., 13.
All were family members of the gunman, Ryan McFarland, 52, who killed himself in front of police after the series of shootings. Ryan and Lesa were divorced in 2023, court filings show.
“Tonight, we come together, not for answers, but for each other,” Clint Christopher, the superintendent of the Muscatine Community School District, said at the vigil. “The McFarland family touched countless lives throughout our school and our community.”
Christopher initially identified two victims as school district employees and two as current students.
“To the family and the loved ones that we have lost, please know that the thoughts and support of an entire community are with you,” Christopher said.
Jonathan McFarland, the son of Lesa and Ryan McFarland, and Audrey Perdue, Dakota’s fiancé, spoke at the vigil.
“It’s hard to think this is even real,” Jonathan read from a prepared statement. “I just want to say that I will forever love and miss my mom, Lesa, my sister Ryle, and my four brothers, Dakota, Austin, Mark and Ryan.”
“No matter what is being told to me, I will always love and miss my dad, Ryan,” Jonathan continued. “They’re going to forever always be in my heart, my prayers, my thoughts, and I’ll always talk to them.”
“I come to the community in hopes that we can rally ourselves together in memory of Ryan Jr., Mark, Ryle, Austin, Dakota and Lesa,” Audrey said. “Every year, countless lives are lost to senseless acts of domestic violence, and, unfortunately, this time, it is near and dear to our hearts and community.”
Kies said despite how difficult “tonight may be for many, I can’t help but be grateful.”
“[I’m] grateful for this community that has shown up for this department, for Jonathan, for Audrey, and for all the family and friends that support the McFarlands, the Whitlows, and the Harrises.”
He said Muscatine is not defined by the shootings, but by the “abundance of support that it has shown in the past 24 hours.”
Kyle Werner is the breaking news and public safety reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@registermedia.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Victims of Muscatine shootings identified as gunman’s family members
Reporting by Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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