COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus community, including Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, is in shock over the homicides of the two young sisters, wondering how a father can take the lives of his own children.
“I had someone knock on my door because she thinks her boyfriend is coming after her. She doesn't have a jacket on her or shoes," a woman told 911 dispatchers. "We have her inside my house. She's really afraid we need someone immediately."
That is part of the 911 call just before Columbus police say Aaron Williams shot 6-year-old Alyse, and 9-year-old Ava on Friday on Danwood Drive.
The girls were taken to Doctor's Hospital where they were pronounced dead early Saturday morning.
Police said the Williams was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The girls’ mother and Williams had been arguing when the mother ran to a neighbor to call for help.
“I was just going to go somewhere, like to a bus shelter or something. I don't know,” the mother told the dispatcher.
As officers arrived, they heard multiple gunshots.
“The officers that responded on the scene attempted to revive the little girls, and even drove themselves to the hospital. When they got the news, it was just devastating to them,” Ginther said.
For Ginther, not as the leader of the city, but as a father, the girls' deaths are upsetting.
“I'm a father first. My little one is about the same age as these little girls. Just devastated. Heart goes out to this family. Just a horrible, horrible situation,” Ginther said.
Over the weekend, Ginther wrote in a statement "tragic events demonstrate that law enforcement is not always the answer.”
He explained the statement further on Monday.
“Law enforcement couldn't have necessarily done anything to avoid the situation. That there needed to be additional resources from the community, particularly mental health and intervention and prevention work that potentially we could have held this off,” Ginther said.
Williams had been charged with domestic violence in 2018 with another family member.
Ginther argues the state should have a red flag law and that may have prevented this shooting.
“Clearly, there were issues, a history of domestic violence that we may have been able to intervene and get this individual help and support him and in different ways,” Ginther said.
Ava and Alyse's mother tells 10TV they were each other's favorite person, and they slept in each other's arms every night. She added they had such positive outlooks on the world.