Anna Mae Stoltzfus, a 12-year-old girl from Paradise, Pennsylvania, tragically lost her life on October 2, 2006. Anna Mae was a 7th grader at West Nickel Mine Parochial School and attended the Old Order Amish Church. She was the daughter of Christ K. and Lizzie L. Allgyer Stoltzfus and had six brothers and one sister.
Anna Mae's death was part of a horrific school shooting at the West Nickel Mines Amish School.
The gunman, Charles Carl Roberts IV, a 32-year-old milk truck driver, took hostages inside the school and ultimately killed five young girls before taking his own life. The victims included Anna Mae Stoltzfus, Marian Fisher , Naomi Rose Ebersol , Mary Liz Miller , and Lena Miller .
The community was deeply affected by the tragedy, and the Amish families chose to respond with forgiveness and grace. The funeral processions for the victims were marked by a somber atmosphere, with horse-drawn buggies carrying the coffins to the small burial ground. The Amish custom called for simple wooden coffins, and the burials were conducted with a focus on God and the afterlife.
In the aftermath of the shooting, there were no arrests or suspects beyond the deceased gunman, as he had taken his own life. The community focused on healing and supporting one another through the grief and trauma of the event. There were no litigations or further investigations related to the death of Anna Mae Stoltzfus, as the incident was treated as a tragic act of violence with no surviving perpetrator.
The loss of Anna Mae Stoltzfus and the other victims left a lasting impact on the community and highlighted the resilience and strength of the Amish people in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
