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Danville Pawn Shop Shooting: A Triple Homicide

The Lexington Herald-Leader reported today that a 9-year-old boy called police from the ABC Gold and Games pawn shop in Danville, Kentucky shortly after 9 a.m. Apparently, somebody had entered the sho...
Danville Pawn Shop Shooting: A Triple Homicide
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  • The Lexington Herald-Leader reported today that a 9-year-old boy called police from the ABC Gold and Games pawn shop in Danville, Kentucky shortly after 9 a.m. Apparently, somebody had entered the shop with the intention of robbing it, and ended up shooting three people dead.

    Boyle County coroner Don Hamner identified two of the victims as Michael and Angela Hockensmith. Michael co-owned the pawn shop and was responsible for overseeing its daily operation while his wife occasionally assisted him. The unnamed third male victim will remain unidentified until his family has been notified, but he was reported to be from Richmond.

    Danville Police chief Tony Gray said, “The child reported what he called a robbery, and said three people had been shot… The door was locked from the inside, and we had to force entry by breaking glass into the business.” The police found the nine-year-old and a 20-month-old girl, reported to be the Hockensmiths’ kids.

    Investigators spent all of Friday morning looking for the shooter, and nearby Centre College found itself locked down due to its proximity to the murders. But the police presence was so high that by noon, the lockdown had ended.

    Businesses in the nearby area reported that although its a shameful tragedy because it happened in their backyard, they don’t feel particularly threatened based on proximity. Jim Gage of James Cigar Co., said, “I come to this business every day and I’ve always felt secure here and I still feel secure here… [as disturbing as] a triple murder across the street [is] I still do not feel insecure.”

    Steve Divine, who’s wife Lee Ann reported recently became a co-owner of the pawn shop with Hockensmith, said that Hockensmith was a manager before he became an owner, and that the Hockensmiths were a church-going Christian family who attended Mitchellsburg Baptist Church in Boyle County.

    “They were just wonderful Christian people. You can’t find nicer people. They were good parents, wonderful friends, very generous… Everything was looking up for this young family,” Lee Ann Divine said.

    [Image via this YouTube news report including an interview with Centre College’s communication’s director]

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