Deaf Today: Shooting Blinds Deaf Woman

January 12, 2004

Shooting Blinds Deaf Woman

From: KFDX-TV, TX - Jan 12, 2004

A deaf Wichita Falls woman is now blind following a shooting this afternoon. The suspect is a 78 year old man with Alzheimer's disease. Sergeant Cindy Walker says 78 year old Selman Hubert Crook told police he thought the victim and a man were trying to break into his property. They say he then went after them with a 12 gauge shot gun and fired a tragic lone shot.

Police say 46 year old Jacqueline Lee Goins, a deaf Wichita Falls resident will now lose both of her eyes. They say 78 year old Harry Crook beleived Goins and another man were trying to break into his storage buildings so he chased them with a 12 gauge shot gun. Crook's friend, Bobby Herrell was there at the time. "He disappeared on the other side of the building and heard the shot, and I was scared to go around there then." "I ran across the street because I can talk deaf and she's deaf. (I) didn't know she'd been shot in the face, couldn't understand her anyways."

Crooks' wife, Sylvia, says the shooting is out of character for her husband and says he'd been doing better recently on his Alzheimer's medication. "But they get those funny ideas in there head and you can't convince them otherwise."

Crooks sister in law says, "He shouldn't be out running around, he's not supposed to even come down here."

Police say this unfortunate situation is nothing less than a huge tragedy for all involved. Crook has been charged with aggravated assault and remains in custody at the Wichita County sheriff's department. Police continue to investigate whether Goins and the man she was with were actually trying to break in to Crook's property, but Sergeant Leland Wright says information gathered so far indicates they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.