GA - Three dead, 1 injured in birthday party shootout, Dawnville, 26 Aug 2010

This happened last night in my town. Absolutely devastating, but at least the children's lives were spared.

Link to video:
http://www.newschannel9.com/
Accompanying article:
http://www.newschannel9.com/news/whitfield-994176-residence-male.html

Authorities have released the official report following Thursday night's triple homicide in Whitfield County, Ga.
When officers arrived at 1751 Rainbow Circle around 8:30 Thursday night they found Mindy Bullard in a yard, she had been shot twice in the legs. She was turned over to emergency medical personnel.
Officers then entered the home and found Edward Henry Manz III from Chattanooga in a laundry room, dead of several gunshot wounds. Manz is the father of Bullard. More at link.....

One of the seven children in the home called 911 and said that someone was killing everybody in the home. That was heartbreaking to hear and I can't even imagine these children seeing their dad and grandfather being shot to death. I don't think they could have seen their mother being shot as she had climbed out a second story window to escape and was shot in both her legs. Please remember this family in your prayers.

OH MY.............I'm speechless

Unimaginable.

Prayers for this poor family. Hoping mom will somehow be strong and healthy enough for her babies.

Just unimaginable.


Mindy Bullard's family speaks out. They said Hartline was possessive and obsessive. They didn't like him and some of the children didn't even like him.

Mindy hid her children in a crawl space in the attic before she jumped out the window.

She had surgery on her ankle which she shattered when she jumped. The younger children are doing O.K. but the older ones have their moments a relative said.

Nobody expected that they said. Mindy didn't think he would hurt her.


http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13058210

It's seems as though everybody's answer to relationship problems these days is to kill the person they supposedly love. I just cannot understand this. Are there really that many people with psychological problems enough to think this is the answer? I'm used to coming here and reading about these cases on a daily basis, but I guess it never ocurred to me that it could happen here. This is a wake up call for me and I'm sure it probably is for our sheriff. My heart goes out to this family and to all the emergency workers involved.

joeskidbeck said:

It's seems as though everybody's answer to relationship problems these days is to kill the person they supposedly love. I just cannot understand this. Are there really that many people with psychological problems enough to think this is the answer? I'm used to coming here and reading about these cases on a daily basis, but I guess it never ocurred to me that it could happen here. This is a wake up call for me and I'm sure it probably is for our sheriff. My heart goes out to this family and to all the emergency workers involved.

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JKB, I am very sorry. It does really get to you when it is so close to home.

Who knows what goes through people's minds? In this case I just read that guy's obituary. I don't want to give too much time to a murderer, but he was no youngun. He had his own children. Like, dude what were you thinking?

Again I am so sorry.

Filly said:

JKB, I am very sorry. It does really get to you when it is so close to home.

Who knows what goes through people's minds? In this case I just read that guy's obituary. I don't want to give too much time to a murderer, but he was no youngun. He had his own children. Like, dude what were you thinking?

Again I am so sorry.

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Oh Filly, he had four grandchildren. I cannot comprehend this. My four grandchildren are my whole world. The thought of what my death would do to them would be enough to stop me in my tracks if I ever even considered doing something like this. You know, you're right, I should not be giving time to a murderer either, but his family is hurting and I never even thought to pray for them. I feel bad about that. There are a lot of people hurting really bad tonight because of one person's impulsive actions. :cry:

What a nightmare..............senseless.

Not sure it's the same but DDH, Summerville GA
http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbi...ualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=299277HA2

noZme said:

Not sure it's the same but DDH, Summerville GA
http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbi...ualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=299277HA2

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NoZme, that's him. Thank you for the link. Now I am really re-thinking this whole thing. A child molester with four grandchildren. I have to wonder if Mindy knew this about him because it has not been mentioned in our local media (yet). I would absolutely hate to be a young single mother these days, although at least we have the so registry. It is so sad that you would even have to look there before going out with a man, but the fact is, you do! One of my daughters is a single mom and she would not trust any man alone with her children, except for their dad. I am truly thankful for that.
The article that Filly linked earlier said that some of Mindy's kids did not like DDH at all. I hope it was just a feeling and nothing concrete....

Another article, I was looking for age verification of Hartline to be sure I had the right one. Year of birth matches & now I see your acknowledgement, JoeS, thanks. I am also wondering if she had been dating him before learning of his past... of course all Chester-the-Molesters are wrongfully accused.... arrgh!

How brave & quick-thinking of Mindy to hide her children. My heart breaks for what the kids experienced. Such a tragedy. My prayers for them & the extended families of the dead
.
"It was supposed to be a happy occasion as Mindy Nicole Bullard put on a birthday party for one of her children. She lives in a large home on Rainbow Circle Drive in the Dawnville area with her five children.
Bullard invited her father, 61 year old Edward Manz,III of Chattanooga and her ex-husband, 41 year old Kenneth Simonson of Cleveland to attend. But a former boyfriend, 41-year old David Hartline of Summerville also showed up. The result was a gunfight that left the three men dead.
SHERIFF SCOTT CHITWOOD, WHITFIELD COUNTY "He appears to have been the initiator..he had been drinking ..He had been to the residence earlier in the afternoon ...And was asked not to return to the residence..,due to the party. "

According to the sheriff, the mother saw Hartline get a weapon from his truck and told her children to run upstairs and hide. She called 911 to report that Hartline was going to shoot her, and also ran upstairs. Deputies say a 15 year old, ran to a neighbor's home to call for help. Mindy Bullard suffered three gunshot wounds and fractures to her legs when she attempted to get out of the house through an upstairs bedroom window. Indications are, all three men were armed.
SHERIFF CHITWOOD "not sure..there is some question right now..we do know that gunfire was exchanged between several parties in the residence..anywhere from 20 to 25 shell casings have been located within the residence."

http://www.wdef.com/news/whitfield_...yfriend_for_gunfight_that_left_3_dead/08/2010+

Google search also returned some appeals court in TX for that name.

noZme said:

Not sure it's the same but DDH, Summerville GA
http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbi...ualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=299277HA2

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Well, you nailed it! Here's his obituary:

http://www.chattooga1180.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14839&Itemid=1

Very carefully worded. No good jerk. He has survivors, and I feel sorry for them.

I wonder if the victims knew Hartline's history? Especially the mother of those poor children.

noZme said:

Not sure it's the same but DDH, Summerville GA
http://services.georgia.gov/gbi/gbi...ualOffenderDetails&sexualoffenderId=299277HA2

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Dang that's him NoZme. I looked all over for that guy but not on the SOR. I pray he never hurt those kids.

I didn't want to link his obit originally. I did notice his own children had different names. Grown of course. One have being in trouble. Ya would wonder why?

Senseless. Cowardly.

I'm thinking she probably made sure her dad and ex-husband knew of the incident earlier in the day and that's probably why they were also armed. Thank Goodness! He was killed by her father when he came back downstairs after shooting Mindy out the window. I'm sure he was headed outside to finish killing Mindy. In my opinion, her father died a true hero.

these poor kids!
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4447859

I think this family had recently moved to this neighborhood... a White Pages search showed a trailer park address.

I "accidentally" found DDH on the SO Registry by Googling his name. This is the original link, alphabetical order, scroll down.

http://www.chattoogasheriff.com/sexoffenders.html

ETA: Does this case being attempted homicide, qualify for the Intimate Partner thread?

The obituary was WAY too nicely worded imho. This man is a child molester and a murderer, but sounded more like a sunday school teacher. I really feel for his children. Wonder if the man next to him on the SOR, same last name, is a grandfather?

Article plus 2 calls to 911. Gunshots can be heard in both calls.

"Bullard, a mother of seven children ranging in age from 4 to 16, begged for Hartline’s mercy moments after hoisting her children to safety in the home’s attic, 911 calls indicate.
“His name is David Hartline. He’s in my house, and he’s got a gun,” Bullard said, after telling a child to get into the attic. Hartline yells an explicative-filled rant with allegations that Bullard had been seeing another man. She denies everything and begs, “Please don’t hurt me, David.”
A voice that is apparently Hartline yells across the line “I’ll ... put this gun to your ... head and pull the trigger right now!”
Seconds later, gunfire echoes across the phone line and the call ends."

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/aug/28/shootout-kills-three/?local

Explanation as to why the police weren't dispatched immediately.





http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13069259

That guy didn't deserve anything except to be quietly cremated without any fanfare.

Joeskidbeck, I'm sorry this happened in your community. When tragedy occurs close to home, it rocks our world even if we don't personally know the victims. I pray your town will heal and equilibrium be restored very soon.

My heart aches for the children, naturally. I can only hope and pray that Bullard will wake up and get her priorities straight. This is a situation that is becoming all too commonplace, and very often it could be avoided if parents would put their children's interests before their own selfish needs and desires.

There is so much more that I'd like to say, but I'd better just leave it at that.