Authorities have released the identities of three people who were fatally shot in St. Charles on Friday, as the west suburban community mourns their deaths.
Around 5:12 p.m., officers responded to several reports of shots fired, as well as a 911 call from inside a residence in the 400 block of S. 1st St., according to St. Charles police.
A man and two teenage girls were found shot inside an apartment and pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. A 46-year-old woman who had also been shot was taken to Delnor Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition Saturday afternoon.
The girls were identified as twin sisters Tiffany and Brittany Coffland, both 16 years old, according to the Kane County Coroner’s office. The man was identified as their father, 48-year-old Randall Coffland. All three lived in the apartment where the shooting took place, according to police.
Officials said a preliminary investigation suggested that the shooting was an incident of domestic violence, and there was no danger to the public.
The woman who was shot was identified as the girls’ mother and Randall Coffland’s wife, according to police, who said the couple was married but living at separate addresses.
A review of department records showed that officers responded to a report of “domestic trouble” at the woman’s home in the 100 block of S. 5th Ave. on Feb. 9, police said in a release, though the report indicated nothing physical happened during that incident. [[415958033, C]]
“This is a very difficult scene for the first responders to work with,” Deputy St. Charles Police Chief David Kintz said at a news conference Friday night. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to family members who are left to deal with this tragic situation.”
Friday’s shooting marked the city’s first homicide since 2008, Kintz said. Crisis teams were available to counsel grieving community members at St. Charles East High School on Saturday, where the girls were juniors, according to District 303.
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Among those impacted by the deaths were Brittany’s coworkers at Blue Goose Market, a local grocery store.
“The shooting in St. Charles last night touched the Blue Goose community very painfully,” Blue Goose owner Paul Lencioni wrote on the store’s Facebook page. “One of the young women who was shot and killed worked in our bakery department. Brittany was a vibrant part of our team and a loving part of our family. We are beyond sad. We are confused and devastated and mad and hurt. We feel helpless. But we are not helpless and we are not alone.”
“We will hold each other. We will listen to each other. And we will be stronger together for all the days to come after this one. If you see someone in pain, comfort them. If you see someone in need, help them. And please, if you are hurting, trust that there are people in your life who care about you, people who will support you and love you and provide comfort and help for you when you are in need. St. Charles is not just where we live, it is our home, it is our family. It is where we will heal together. We love you Brittany. You will be with us always,” the post continued.
The city’s mayor issued a statement on Saturday as well, expressing gratitude for the first responders’ efforts and calling the incident “unspeakable.”
“The City of St. Charles experienced a horrific personal tragedy last night,” St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina said. “Being the close-knit community we are, an incident of this nature has impact beyond the immediate family--we think about and pray for the extended family which includes relatives, high school students and other friends. We also pray for the greater community, all of us, that we will stand tall and provide calm and peace at such a tragic moment.”
