Ohio Amish Community Shaken by Shooting

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[sonsofliberty2000]

Ohio Amish Community Shaken by Shooting Thu Sep 4, 2:55 AM ET

By JOE MILICIA, Associated Press Writer

MOUNT HOPE, Ohio - It's an annual prank in this tranquil Amish community, where men wear straw hats and women bonnets and plain dresses: Youngsters hide in cornfields and hurl tomatoes at passing cars.

This year, the mischief turned deadly.

A motorist who had been pelted several times on Labor Day got out of his car and fired three to five rounds into the 7-foot-high corn, killing 23-year-old Steven L. Keim.

No arrest has been made.

Residents are reeling from shock, unable to understand why anybody would retaliate so violently. Authorities say the county hadn't seen a firearm-related homicide in about three decades.

"The prank has gone on for years and years," said Marty Yoder, who owns Marty's Shoes in this town about 60 miles south of Cleveland. "All over the county it's been happening every year."

The shooting occurred just north of Mount Hope in Holmes County, where the clip-clop of horses pulling Amish buggies is just as common as the sound of passing automobiles.

Holmes County has what is believed to be the world's largest population of Amish, who do not believe in modern conveniences such as electricity and automobiles.

Keim, 23, an Apple Creek resident of Amish heritage, died of multiple wounds to the chest, Holmes County Coroner Robert Anthony said.

Keim was with about 10 other members of the Amish community, ages 15 to 23. The group told the sheriff's office they had been throwing tomatoes and firing paintball guns at passing vehicles.

The crime scene is marked by trampled corn stalks that interrupt an otherwise uniform stretch roadside corn. About eight rows into the cornfield, well hidden from the road, two buckets of rotting, fly-covered tomatoes still sat.

According to the sheriff's department, the driver of a Lincoln or Cadillac stopped, got out and threatened to shoot whoever threw the tomatoes Monday night.

The vehicle turned around and drove past the cornfield again. The car was struck with tomatoes a second time.

About 25 minutes later the vehicle passed the cornfield two more times. On a third pass, the driver stopped and challenged the group to throw more tomatoes — then fired his shotgun into the cornfield.

The sheriff's department did not have a suspect, only a vague description of a middle-aged male of medium height.

Residents say the community will be nervous until the shooter is caught.

"People won't be resting too good until they know who it is at least," said Ivan Miller, 41. "He should be punished. The guy lost it."

Wayne Miller, an Amish man from nearby Kidron, said the young people "shouldn't have been throwing tomatoes."

"But if people start shooting people for throwing tomatoes, this country's in bad shape," he said.

Keim was born into an Amish family, but his family left the Amish church and became Mennonites, said Yoder.

Mennonites share similar beliefs with the Amish, but drive cars and use more modern conveniences.

"He was a real outgoing person, always willing to help you," Yoder said.

[sonsofliberty2000]

This is sad. I don't understand what makes people snap and decide to hurl bullets at people who hurl tomatoes. Guns are not the problem. People who have a loose screw are the problem.

Patriot Paradox

[Sloth]

According to the sheriff's department, the driver of a Lincoln or Cadillac stopped, got out and threatened to shoot whoever threw the tomatoes Monday night.

At least it seems he gave them plenty of warning.

By the way, since when is a 23-year-old considered a "youngster"?

[wideawake]

I would submit that idiots who throw tomatoes at cars, potentially causing deadly accidents, are also a problem.

If a mother driving with three young children in the car got hit with some of those tomatoes and was shaken up enough to accidentally swerve into the path of an oncoming truck, we probably wouldn't be feeling so sorry for this young prankster.

[wardaddy]

Sad.

[concerned about politics]

"But if people start shooting people for throwing tomatoes, this country's in bad shape," he said.

The Amish are a Christian organization. It's politically correct to shoot them if it makes one feel better about themselves.

[Physicist]

At least it seems he gave them plenty of warning.

That, plus the fact that he returned more than once, suggests premeditation to me.

[Diddle E. Squat]

What a load of misleading crap this article is. Those kids were not just "throwing tomatoes". Buried in the middle of the story is the most important fact:

and firing paintball guns at passing vehicles.

I'm not defending the murderous overreaction, but I'm sick of apologists always sugar coating and downplaying the actions of stupid punks. Having your car hit by tomatoes is one thing, having it damaged by paintball guns that can require expensive repainting is quite another.

Those brats who were not killed should be charged and prosecuted, even if just for a misdemeanor.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Oh spare us. That sounds just like minority group ________ claiming it is racism every time a crook from their minority gets caught.

[mountaineer]

I agree. These "kids" (in their 20s? When will they grow up?) could have caused an accident. While deadly force probably was not the appropriate response, it's hard not to empathize with the driver whose vehicle was being pelted by these vandals. Granted, he should not have returned with the gun. He should have called the cops. As for this being just another example of attacking Christians, give me a break. You need to do some research into the Amish.

[Diddle E. Squat]

BTW, this is hardly Breaking News. Why did you post it to Breaking News, Front Page News, and Extended News at the same time? One will do.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Damn it... now I've got this blasted "too mennonite" joke in my head... aaaaarggggg!

[headsonpikes]

'Premeditation' bump.

By his traffic pattern, the shooter is probably a local.

There can't be that many volcanically eruptive late-model luxury car owners in this rural, Amish-dominated, county.

[latrans]

I agree wholeheartedly. I was a passenger in the front seat of a 1960 Ford when it took water balloon in the windshield. This happened in a 25 mph speed zone. Nobody was cut but the windshhield was shattered.
Lets check the IQ of this "youngster".

[Sabretooth]

Maybe the guy stopped to confront them and the kid aimed the paintball gun at him. If someone points a gun at me they get a chest full of .45

Stupid is as stupid does.

[lawgirl]

The Amish have paintball guns??

[Atlas Sneezed]

Q: What is this sound:
"Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, BANG BANG BANG, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop"









A: The sound of an Amish drive-by shooting.

[Bikers4Bush]

Bingo. Just because they've pulling the prank for years doesn't mean that people who are not from the area will be aware of it and prepared for it.

It could have just as easily been a driver of one of the cars they hit who died.

Hitting a car with a tomato doesn't have the same effect as hitting a horse with one.

[headsonpikes]

"Those brats who were not killed should be charged and prosecuted..."

Is this the consensus of the Vigilante Caucus?

[concerned about politics]

He should have called the cops. As for this being just another example of attacking Christians, give me a break. You need to do some research into the Amish.

Had they not been the lowley amish, would he have reacted the same? Say, kids throwing tomatoes or paint over a bridge in DC?
In my opinion, he saw then more as animals because they ARE so different.
We have Amish around here, and vicious drivers peep their horns at Amish buggies just to get the horses to rear up. People are very mean to them. They think it's funny.

[mountaineer]

In my opinion, he saw then more as animals because they ARE so different.

There's been no evidence the assailant knew these so-called "kids" were Amish. He probably just thought they were punks - and he'd be right.