CA - Thomas Cunningham, 38, shot to death, Hayward, 24 Nov 2009

Posted: 11:40 am PST November 25, 2009Updated: 10:41 pm PST November 25, 2009
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HAYWARD, Calif. -- A father on an ice cream buying trip to the corner market with his daughter and the family dogs was fatally shot by a man who became enraged when one of the pets sniffed him, authorities said Wednesday.A Hayward police spokesman said the incident took place at about 10:06 p.m. Tuesday when authorities got a 911 call reporting a shooting.Arriving officers discovered 38-year-old Thomas Cunningham of Hayward lying unconscious outside the store, an apparent victim of a shooting.Investigators said that Cunningham and his 13-year-old daughter had walked their two dogs to the neighborhood liquor store to buy ice cream. Cunningham went into the liquor store to purchase the ice cream while the daughter waited outside with the dogs.When Cunningham returned to his daughter with the ice cream, police said, they began walking home. As they passed the suspect, one of the dogs approached the suspect and sniffed at him.Police said the suspect asked the victim and his daughter to pull the dog away, and the girl did so. But then the suspect and victim began exchanging words and the suspect became angry.Investigators said the unidentified suspect pulled out a handgun and shot the victim at least once. The victim’s daughter, meanwhile, run into the market screaming for help.The victim was transported to Eden Hospital via ambulance, where he was pronounced dead.
more at link: http://www.ktvu.com/news/21724877/detail.html

Didn't know this when I heard about it as I was leaving on Weds., but the victim was the head custodian at one of the local elementary schools...

This is truly dishearting ...what is our world coming to lately. I can't begin to comprehend what would drive someone just to shoot someone like this.
My prayers go out to the family, I am so sorry for your loss.

Cops release sketch of suspect who shot, killed man in front of daughter
Bay City News

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Snipped:

But he said police are looking at the possibility that the man who shot and killed Cunningham lives in the area.

"It's not an area where people linger unless they live in the area, know someone who lives there or are doing business at the strip mall," Brown said.

He said the sketch of the suspect was based on a description by Cunningham's daughter.

Brown said police interviewed her Friday and he described her as "a very bright and articulate witness."

He said the updated description of the suspect is that he is a black man between 18 and his early 20s, between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with a very slight build.

Police say witnesses said the suspect was wearing baggy blue jeans and a dark brown or black hooded sweatshirt with a white logo on the rim of the hood. The sweatshirt may have had an orange design on the front.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...11/28/suspectsketch28.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0YPavrVSA

Hayward man fatally shot in front of daughter
By Eric Kurhi
The Oakland Tribune

Posted: 11/25/2009 11:17:59 AM PST
Updated: 11/25/2009 04:55:53 PM PST

HAYWARD — Relatives say Thomas Cunningham loved his 13-year-old daughter more than anyone in the world.

The 38-year-old Hayward resident shared custody of the girl, spending a week with her, then a week away from her. It was an agreement that the girl's mother, Nancy Cunningham, never had a problem with since her separation from the father a year and a half ago.

"She was really close to her dad, and he loved to take her all kinds of places," Nancy Cunningham said. "They'd go fishing, to Raiders games, to the park with the dogs."

The father and daughter were returning from a two-block trip with the dogs — a year-old German shepherd and an unspecified smaller breed — on Tuesday night when something terrible happened.

They had just purchased ice cream treats from L&M Liquors and were headed along upper B Street shortly after 10 p.m. when the German shepherd, described as playful, sniffed at a man standing on the sidewalk.

The man didn't like it, and told Cunningham to get the dog away from him. His daughter pulled the dog away, but the man began to argue with Cunningham

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_13866171

mysticrose said:

Cops release sketch of suspect who shot, killed man in front of daughter
Bay City News

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Snipped:

But he said police are looking at the possibility that the man who shot and killed Cunningham lives in the area.

"It's not an area where people linger unless they live in the area, know someone who lives there or are doing business at the strip mall," Brown said.

He said the sketch of the suspect was based on a description by Cunningham's daughter.

Brown said police interviewed her Friday and he described her as "a very bright and articulate witness."

He said the updated description of the suspect is that he is a black man between 18 and his early 20s, between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with a very slight build.

Police say witnesses said the suspect was wearing baggy blue jeans and a dark brown or black hooded sweatshirt with a white logo on the rim of the hood. The sweatshirt may have had an orange design on the front.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic...11/28/suspectsketch28.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0YPavrVSA

Click to expand...

I sure hope that LE is offering some sort of protection for this young girl, now that they have advertised that she is the one who did the police sketch.

Tom Cunningham - Staff Member and Parent


This past week, we lost a member of our Dublin Schools family. On the evening of November 24th, Tom Cunningham, head custodian at Dublin Elementary School, lost his life to a senseless act of violence. This has affected many of us throughout our district; from staff who knew and worked with Tom, parents, and of course, the children in our schools. Please contact your child's school principal if they experiences difficulty in dealing with this tragic loss. Grief counseling services and support is available to students and staff throughout the district.

Tom was well known and loved in our district; a man who always had a smile on his face and a hello to all he met. He was hired as a custodian at Dublin High School in August 2003, served as the temporary head custodian at Fallon, and moved on to become the head custodian at Dublin Elementary in 2006. He loved his job and was affectionately known by students as “Mr. Tom”. Serving two roles in our district, both as a parent and an employee, strengthened his ties to both staff and students.

While it is difficult to come to grips with this tragedy, there is a way you can help. A memorial fund has been established for Tom Cunningham’s daughter. You can make a donation to the “Thomas Ray Cunningham Fund” at any Wells Fargo Bank. Funds raised will go towards his daughter’s college education.

A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, December 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at Callaghan Mortuary, 3833 East Ave. in Livermore. Following the memorial service, a reception will be held at Dublin Elementary School at 4:30 p.m. The entire community is invited to attend this event.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Tom Cunningham. In memory of our friend and colleague, flags will be flown at half staff through Thursday, December 3rd.
http://www.dublin.k12.ca.us/vnews/display.v/ART/4b135520e6f7a

By Eric Kurhi
The Oakland Tribune
Posted: 12/01/2009 05:27:24 PM PST
Updated: 12/01/2009 08:57:13 PM PST
HAYWARD — As police prepared Tuesday night to canvass the area where Thomas Cunningham was gunned down in front of his teenage daughter a week earlier, services for the devoted father and popular Dublin school custodian were arranged for Thursday afternoon.
Police said they hoped that stopping cars and pedestrians in the Kelly Hill area between 8 and 11 p.m. might yield someone who saw the man who shot and killed Cunningham just after 10 p.m. Nov. 24.
"We're hoping to find some of the same people going through the area," police Lt. Christine Orrey said.
She said they have received some potential leads they are following, and had people calling in to increase the reward in the case, which now stands at $27,000."The tragic circumstances of this case definitely got the community coming together," she said. more at link: http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_13903253