Father Killed After Shotgun Execution Of Family Members In Cracker Barrel
April 16, 2012 at 8:33 am by kniption
Brooklyn, OH - An Ohio father was killed by police after shooting and killing his wife and daughter – and critically wounded a second daughter – during the murdered daughter’s birthday party at Cracker Barrel. This after the wife told him that she was divorcing him.
According to police records, on Thursday evening Katherina (Kate) Allen, 42, brought her daughters Kerri and Kayla, both 10, to Cracker Barrel to celebrate Kerri’s birthday with their father Kevin Allen, 51,. Because of an “incident” that had occurred Easter Sunday, Kate Allen had left the family home with the girls to stay with a family friend. Kevin Allen arrived to the restaurant separately.
During the course of the dinner, Kate Allen reportedly called police saying she had just told her husband she wanted to end their marriage and that he had left the restaurant and was circling the parking lot. She added that she feared ‘he might become violent.’
Her fears were not unfounded. Three minutes later, Kevin Allen would walk back into Cracker Barrel carrying a loaded shotgun. Witnesses said he “selectively” fired on his wife and daughters.
“He didn’t say not one word,” a witness said. “He came in and pointed, and we could just see the fire come out of the barrel and we all just ran.”
According to police, Kevin Allen fatally shot his wife in the head and torso while she stood near the restaurant’s register counter. Allen then shot his daughter Kayla in the gift shop. Allen then went looking for his daughter Kerri – who was hiding in the bathroom – and killed her with a fatal shotgun blast to the abdomen.
Officers heard gunshots as they arrived and saw Kevin Allen leaving the restaurant with his gun. Police Chief Scott Mielke said officers shot him when he refused to surrender. He died at the scene.
Police records show that Allen – who has been married at least three times – had a history of violent behavior and threatening his wives, girlfriends, and others. In February, a gas company worker requested a police escort to Allen’s house, explaining that Allen he had not paid his bill “and has stated he will shoot anyone who attempts to turn his gas off.” One ex-wife had reported his attempting to suffocate her with a pillow.
When asked to comment on the incident, Cracker Barrel spokeswoman Julie K. Davis reportedly said, “This appears to be the result of a domestic dispute between two guests and no Cracker Barrel employees were involved.”
From this, I am assuming that the phone conversation was interrupted and she had been in the process of saying “…no Cracker Barrel employees were involved in preventing the killer from reentering the restaurant; trying to bury him in an avalanche of kitschy knick-knacks with a determined shove of a towering display; or attempting to distract him with one well-placed throw of a barfing-chicken gravy boat. Okay… maybe – despite calling police minutes before – Kate Allen didn’t make anyone at the restaurant aware of the situation unfolding. If so, it is too bad. A short delay from a locked door barricaded with a few rockers could have made all of the difference in the world on this one.
My only other comment is that is takes a special malignant form of putrid and festering evil to unload a shotgun on two 10-year-old girls – let alone your own children after a birthday celebration. It’s Event Horizon.
Tags: Cracker Barrel, Familicide, Kevin Allen, Murder, Ohio, Shooting
