Family speaks out about man involved in shooting
As a Lockport woman, who was apparently shot by her husband Wednesday, continues to recover in the hospital, some residents are speaking out about the man involved in the incident. YNN’s Antoinette DelBel sat down with one family who explains how Wednesday’s story hits close to home.
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LOCKPORT, N.Y. — Lockport resident Sylvia Speight couldn't help but get a little emotional as she made a connection to the man suspected of shooting his wife Wednesday morning to her cousin Jenifer Behm, who was killed in October of 1998.
"It's just a loss and it brought up everything,” said Speight. “And one thing that came out because of it - he's gone now."
Authorities said Morris Tucker, 44, apparently turned the gun on himself Wednesday after he shot his wife in the face.
LeAnne Tucker, 40, is recovering in the intensive care unit at Erie County Medical Center.
Speight's sister said she strongly believes the man who shot LeAnne is the same man who shot her 32-year-old cousin Jenifer more than a decade ago.
"Tucker gets a slap on the back of the hand for killing my cousin," said Dolores Rountree, Behm's cousin.
The State Department of Corrections said Tucker was sentenced for attempted assault in 1999 in connection with Jenifer's death and served six years in prison for the charge.
Behm's family said Tucker was friends with Jenifer's boyfriend at the time.
"Tucker was a bully," said Rountree. "Where I got questions, I try to seek out answers."
Years later, Behm's family said they are still trying to figure out why their cousin, a mother of two, was killed.
They said Behm and her boyfriend had disputes like any other relationship, but things took a scary turn after the boyfriend threatened her life. That's when Behm's family said the following day, Tucker and her boyfriend showed up to her house and shot her.
"I personally don't fell there was justice done," said Speight.
“The police, the prosecutors - if they had done right by Morris Tucker concerning my cousin, this poor lady wouldn't be in the shape that she's in," said Rountree.
According to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, Wednesday's incident is still under investigation, and they're not able to talk about Tucker's past at this time.
Meanwhile, LeAnne Tucker is listed in critical condition at ECMC.