In a tragic turn of events on the evening of February 7, 1949, in Medina, New York, six-year-old Andrew Michael Hagerman, a young male, was shot and killed. The devastating incident unfolded at his family's home at 133 Elizabeth Street.
That evening, Andrew's father, Carl Hagerman, a 28-year-old Marine veteran, used a 20-gauge double-barreled shotgun to fatally shoot his son, Andrew, his seven-year-old daughter, Nancy Ann, and his own 61-year-old mother, Bessie Hagerman.
Andrew was reportedly in the living room reading the funnies on the floor when he was tragically killed. His grandmother, Bessie, was found in the same room, having been shot in the side and throat. His sister, Nancy, was discovered at the back stairs, seemingly in an attempt to flee the horrific scene.
Carl Hagerman also shot and wounded his wife, Frances Hagerman. She managed to escape to a neighbor's house and alert them to the shooting before collapsing. After the violent rampage, Carl Hagerman turned the gun on himself, ending his own life. Investigators believe he may have been in a state of distress, as reports indicated he had ripped a door off its hinges prior to the shootings.
The only survivor of the immediate family present during the tragedy was Frances Hagerman, who was taken to Medina Memorial Hospital with wounds to her chest, shoulder, and hand. The community was left in shock, and joint funeral services were held for the two young children. There were no arrests to be made as the perpetrator had died by suicide at the scene of the crime.
