A murder-suicide at an Alabama body shop in which a man killed his brother and seriously wounded his nephew Monday has left family members and the shop’s community devastated.
Hoyt Anders and his son Kerry Anders were working at Anders Body Shop in Addison, Ala., on Monday afternoon when Hoyt’s brother Mark Anders reportedly burst into the business and began shooting a .22 caliber rifle, killing Hoyt on the spot and wounding Kerry before taking his own life, the Cullman Times reported.
Family members told the newspaper that Kerry managed to escape the business during the altercation, running uphill to a nearby daycare center to phone for help. He remained hospitalized and in serious condition as of Tuesday.
Family and community members could offer few explanations for why the tragic incident occurred.
“It was just so random,” Hoyt Anders’ daughter Jenny told the newspaper. “There was nothing leading up to this, no problems. I just don’t know what else to say.”
Residents of Addison, a town with less than 1,000 residents, have rallied around the Anders family.
“We live in a community with strong ties,” gas station owner Dewayne Hampton told the newspaper. “A lot of people are related here, and we always get through hard times.”
More information:
• Read the full story from the Cullman Times
