On the evening of December 7, 2013, in Manchester, Connecticut, the life of 23-year-old Kamesha V. Mills, a Black / African American female, was tragically cut short in a violent sequence of events that also claimed the lives of two of her cousins. Kamesha, along with her cousin Artara Benson, 46, had gone to the Dye House Apartments on Pine Street to check on another cousin, 28-year-old Brittany Mills, because she had been unresponsive to phone calls.
After arriving and finding Brittany safe, the three women reportedly went shopping before returning to Brittany's apartment. It was upon their return that they were confronted by John Lynn, 41, the father of Brittany's 13-month-old son. An argument is believed to have broken out between Lynn and the women. The dispute escalated tragically, and Lynn fatally shot all three women. Kamesha and Artara were each shot once in the head, while Brittany sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
At approximately 9:40 p.m., Manchester police responded to reports of multiple gunshots at the apartment complex. Upon arrival, they encountered Lynn in the parking lot, armed with a handgun and holding the 13-month-old child. After a brief confrontation with the officers, Lynn placed the child on the ground unharmed and then fatally shot himself in the head. An officer did fire a shot at Lynn but missed. The investigation concluded that Lynn was the sole perpetrator, and the case was classified as a triple murder-suicide.
John Lynn had a history of domestic disputes, including a prior arrest for a nonviolent argument with Brittany Mills at her apartment. He also had a history of more than 30 arrests for drugs and assault. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the families of the victims filed a $10 million lawsuit against the Dye House Apartments and its management company. The lawsuit alleged that the management was negligent in allowing Lynn to reside there, given his criminal record and a previous domestic incident at the complex involving Brittany Mills. Kamesha Mills was remembered as a loving mother to her daughter, a graduate of South Windsor High School, and an employee at the XL Center who enjoyed shopping, bowling, and cooking.
