GRANDVIEW -
Family and friends of Jacob Barton say he was always the guy who stood up to bullies in school. So it wasn't a surprise to them to learn that the 20-year-old Army specialists' last moment was an act of heroism when he tried to stop the shooting at a combat stress clinic in Iraq that left five people dead the day after Mother's Day.
Jacob's aunt, Dorienda Barton, says that her nephew was at the clinic to be seen for depression.
"The gunman came in, shot a couple, aimed at another person, Jacob stood in the way trying to get the guy to stop and he was shot instead," said Dorienda, who lives in Grandview. She says that Jacob's mother died last year from a brain aneurysm.
"His mother had died just over a year ago, (and) this was his second Mother's Day without her," said Dorienda. "It was his first Mother's Day being away from home."
Jacob had been in the Army just three months after deciding to follow his 21-year-old sister Hannah into the Army.
"They were everything to each other,they were each other's best friends," said Dorienda.
Dorienda says that she was told that the alleged shooter, John Russell, was on his third tour of duty in Iraq, and had been kicked out of the clinic minutes before going on the shooting rampage.
"I think they really need more time at home alone with their family or shorter tours of duty, because it's so much," said Dorienda.
Russell is being held by the U.S. military, charged with five counts of murder.
As for Dorienda, he remembers her nephew as someone who always took care of his family who had yet to meet a girl himself.
"He had never had a first kiss," said Dorienda. "And he was trying to save his money because he was trying to buy a house, so that when he came home he had something to give her."
Jacob's aunt, Dorienda Barton, says that her nephew was at the clinic to be seen for depression.
"The gunman came in, shot a couple, aimed at another person, Jacob stood in the way trying to get the guy to stop and he was shot instead," said Dorienda, who lives in Grandview. She says that Jacob's mother died last year from a brain aneurysm.
"His mother had died just over a year ago, (and) this was his second Mother's Day without her," said Dorienda. "It was his first Mother's Day being away from home."
Jacob had been in the Army just three months after deciding to follow his 21-year-old sister Hannah into the Army.
"They were everything to each other,they were each other's best friends," said Dorienda.
Dorienda says that she was told that the alleged shooter, John Russell, was on his third tour of duty in Iraq, and had been kicked out of the clinic minutes before going on the shooting rampage.
"I think they really need more time at home alone with their family or shorter tours of duty, because it's so much," said Dorienda.
Russell is being held by the U.S. military, charged with five counts of murder.
As for Dorienda, he remembers her nephew as someone who always took care of his family who had yet to meet a girl himself.
"He had never had a first kiss," said Dorienda. "And he was trying to save his money because he was trying to buy a house, so that when he came home he had something to give her."
