A 34-year-old mother of three was fatally shot after intervening in a confrontation outside a Pennsylvania bar early on Sunday.
Jessica Hilliard was killed outside Niki's Quick Six in Parks Township, Armstrong County, near Pittsburgh after attempting to help a woman during an escalating dispute, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
Police said the incident began shortly after 1am when a verbal altercation involving a man identified as David Dunmire, 36, moved into the parking lot.
Investigators say several people rushed outside after a woman entered the bar saying she had been attacked.
Authorities allege Dunmire then opened fire, striking four people. Hilliard suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and died from her injuries.
Her sisters say she stepped out of the bar to protect the woman in what was a fatal act of courage.
'Our sister died a hero, and she is the kind of person who would always jump in to help anybody, regardless of if she knew them or not. And she's been like that her whole life,' said Amanda Evacheck.
Another sister, Hailey Frawley, described the moments leading up to the shooting, saying Hilliard had tried to stop what appeared to be an assault.
Mother-of-three Jessica Hilliard, 34, was fatally shot outside a bar in Parks Township, Armstrong County, early on Sunday morning. She was a mother to son, Lincoln and two daughters, Aryanna and Rylee
Relatives described her as someone who regularly stepped in to help others in difficult situations. Hilliard is pictured alongside her son Lincoln
Authorities say the shooting occurred outside Niki’s Quick Six shortly after 1am on Sunday
Investigators allege David Dunmire, 36, opened fire during the confrontation.
'A man was possibly putting his hands on a female and her and another friend, you know, tried to step in and stop it,' Frawley said.
'And that individual who was, you know, going after the female is the person who ended up shooting.'
Investigators say the gunman fired seven shots as he ran, leaving multiple victims in his wake.
A 24-year-old woman was critically injured, while two men, ages 25 and 34, were listed in stable condition after being struck by gunfire.
Residents in the tight-knit community were left stunned by the violence.
'I was heartbroken, upset, angry,' said Eric Crusan to WTAE. 'Nobody should be shooting somebody over some kind of argument in a bar.'
Police say Dunmire remained at the scene and was taken into custody shortly after the shooting. He is facing 16 charges, including four counts of criminal homicide.
Hilliard's death has reverberated far beyond the parking lot where she was killed.
Hilliard’s family says she had stepped in to help another woman during the dispute
Hilliard's children are now being cared for by other family members following her death
Jessica Hilliard, left, is pictured alongside her sister Amanda Evachek on a trip to Washington
Hilliard's sisters say she stepped out of the bar to protect the woman in what was a fatal act of courage
A devoted mother, she leaves behind three children, daughters Aryanna and Rylee, and her son Lincoln, all of whom relatives say were the center of her world.
Family members described her as tireless in caring for her children, who have ongoing health needs.
'A very dedicated and great mother. Her kids have a lot of health stuff, and she was on top of it like nobody else could have ever been,' Frawley said.
In a fundraising message on GoFundMe, loved ones said Hilliard's final moments reflected the way she lived.
'In her final moments, she acted with courage and selflessness - putting herself in harm's way to protect someone else,' the message read.
'The GoFundMe is going to help with her service and then taking care of the kids,' Evacheck added. 'So we have to figure out their living situation. We have a lot to work towards.'