BYRON — As the town of Byron and surrounding communities grieve multiple losses after a mother shot her four daughters before shooting herself, the first responders to the scene of the murders-suicide are also grappling with the tragedy.
Big Horn County Sheriff’s deputy Keri Angell was one of the first to respond to the home in Byron on Monday afternoon. She was just a few blocks away when she got the call that Tranyelle Harshman, age 32, had called 911 around 1:30 p.m. saying her daughters were shot.
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“Seventeen years. Seventeen years at the sheriff's office. I work in crime scenes, and you don't ever expect anything like this,” Angell said on Wednesday. “We entered into the home. Clearing the home, I went back to the little girl who was actually still alive and administered first aid to her. I stood there with her until EMS arrived and took her and continued aid.”
When law enforcement arrived, five people were found with gunshot wounds. Two of the young girls, ages 2 and 9, were dead. Harshman and her other two daughters, ages 7 and 2, showed signs of life. The 2-year-old died soon after. The 7-year-old is still fighting for her life while being treated at a Salt Lake City hospital.
Harshman died at a Billings hospital.
Angell stayed at the scene throughout the incident, according to Sheriff Kenneth Blackburn.
“Deputy Angell remained on scene throughout the incident and then additionally through the processing of the scene until it could be turned back over to the family and to folks that were able to help clean the scene so that it could be presentable for the family. Which are things that people don't think about,” Blackburn said.
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Questions remain following the tragic incident, but Blackburn urges communities to come together and not pass judgment.
“This could have been Anytown, USA. It happened to be Byron's turn. Unfortunately, this could have been any family USA," Blackburn said. “I would encourage people to be very careful before they label this situation as horrible as it is and as tragic as it is.”
Blackburn said the agency is transitioning from the active investigation to healing and moving forward.
"Our agency has received a level of support from across the country and particularly Montana and Wyoming," Blackburn said. "We are moving forward to make sure that we take care of them (responders) in the best fashion possible and give them our utmost support for the sacrifices they've made, which don't always include physical injuries. A lot of times they're injuries of the heart."
Blackburn said the agency has "some of the top critical incident debriefing teams" in Wyoming traveling to offer support.
"We're worried for the living, and we're mourning for the dead at the same time," Blackburn said.
Angell said the first people who responded supported each other, too.
"As for law enforcement, too, and the first responders, we've all been there for each other," Angell said. "I feel that higher power is in us, put us in this position to be where we are, to do what we do. I mean, I believe it's a calling and it's also a self-sacrifice for what we put ourselves through for that."
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help Cliff Harshman, the husband of Tranyelle and father of two of the girls. It states:
Tragedy has struck, leaving us shattered and heartbroken. [Cliff harshman], a devoted husband and father of four beautiful daughters, has suffered an unimaginable loss: the passing of 3 of his precious girls. 1 still fighting in salt lake, please pray for her.
This devastating event has left Cliff and his loved ones reeling in grief, struggling to come to terms with the immense void left in their lives. The financial burden of funeral expenses, ongoing family support, and other related costs only adds to their pain.
Click here if you would like to donate.
A GoFundMe campaign has also been created to help Quinn Blackmer, the father of the two older girls, with medical and funeral costs:
They were currently residing with their mother in Wyoming, who attempted to take all 4 of her children’s lives. Brailey (9) and Olivia (7) and their two younger half-sisters suffered deadly gunshot wounds. This news shattered them. Their oldest daughter, Brailey (9), passed away on scene. Olivia (7) was life-flighted to Billings, Montana, then later life-flighted to SLC for the closest and best neurology care team. Olivia has suffered severe traumatic brain injury and is fighting hard for her life!
