More details are coming to light after the assistant principal of a middle school in suburban Berwyn was killed by her husband as part of a triple shooting outside the school Tuesday afternoon, with family saying their relationship had recently reached a “boiling point.”
According to the Berwyn Police Department, Lincoln Middle School Assistant Principal Nerissa Lee was identified as one of three people fatally shot in what police initially described as a “domestic-related incident.”
“The impact of this loss is deeply felt not only within the school community but throughout Berwyn,” police said in an update Wednesday. “Assistant Principal Lee was a dedicated educator and leader who touched the lives of countless students and staff members.”
Berwyn North School District 98 also released a statement to the community, confirming Lee was one of the the victims.
“It is with great sadness that I announce to you that Nerissa Lee, Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle school, lost her life in yesterday’s tragic shooting that occurred outside of Lincoln,” the message, signed by Dr. Michelle Smith, Superintendent of Berwyn North School District 98 said.
Lee’s sister, Shana Everage, told NBC Chicago Lee’s mother was also killed in the shooting. According to the Medical Examiner, Lee’s husband, Steven, also involved in the shooting, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“I mean it’s a horrible thing, you know I have a lot of emotions. I don’t quite know what to feel,” Everage said.
Everage added that the domestic incident “didn’t come out of the blue.”
“It had started ever since, I want to say the tail end of June,” Everage told NBC Chicago. “And basically, the boiling point would have been [Tuesday].”
About 4 p.m. Tuesday, Berwyn police officers heard gunfire near Lincoln Middle School, at 6432 16th St., and responded to the scene as a school lockdown was issued. When they arrived, they saw a man firing a rifle into another vehicle. The officers came under fire from the suspect as they approached, police said, with officers taking cover and not returning fire.
Video captured by NBC Chicago’s helicopter Sky 5 showed two vehicles in the middle of the street and what appeared to be blood on the sidewalk. A number of police officers were working on the scene, which was blocked off with crime scene tape.
In security footage of the incident provided to NBC Chicago from a neighbor, more than a dozen gunshots could be heard.
“In this difficult time, the Berwyn Police Department stands ready to support Berwyn North School District 98 in any way possible,” police said in their update Wednesday. “We urge community members to come together and offer their support to one another as we navigate this tragedy.”
“As we continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident, we remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community and supporting all affected by this tragedy,” the update said.
According to Supt. Smith, classes are expected to resume at Lincoln Middle School Thursdays, with counselors on-site.
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