COLORADO SPRINGS- The three victims in Friday's shooting, Officer Garrett Swasey, Ke'Arre Stewart and Jennifer Markovsky, each leave behind two young children.
A procession escorted Swasey's body from the coroner's office to a funeral home Monday. His actions, along with other responding law enforcement officers, likely prevented this shooting from being much worse.
Jennifer Markovsky was at the Planned Parenthood clinic with a friend when shots rang out. Her husband sent out the following statement Monday:
"I am shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of my wife. She was a very caring and compassionate person and patient and understanding parent. She was deeply loved by all who knew her. She was always helping the kids do homework and reading books with them. We will miss her; her cooking, crafting and adventurous spirit. We ask for privacy now as we try to begin the grief and healing process."
Ke'Arre Stewart was reportedly outside of the clinic when he was shot. His brother told NBC News that the Iraq combat Veteran ran back into the clinic to warn a friend and others about the shooter.
"He took my only brother for me. That's the only brother that I had and he took that away from me. It's hard but I forgive him," Leyonte Chandler said.
Less than 24 hours before the shooting, Stewart was having Thanksgiving dinner with his combat buddy Tony Fisher. The two had just bumped into each other at a bank weeks earlier and rekindled a friendship. Fisher describes a gentle giant whose life was cut short.
"It was ridiculous. We shouldn't have to worry about that kind of stuff. We are all supposed to grow old and go to the VFW and tell war stories when we are old. That's how we are supposed to go out. Not at 29 years old," Fisher said.
(© 2015 KUSA)
