That was the day the peaceful community of Carson City was jolted by a mass shooting where four died while enjoying breakfast at the IHOP. The gunmen then turned the gun on himself. Seven others were injured.
“Nevada Guard remembers, eulogizes shooting victims. Few moments in life tug on the heartstrings more than hearing Amazing Grace on bagpipes after the death of three battle buddies,” wrote then-Spc. Emerson Marcus 106th Public Affairs Detachment in the Fall 2011 issue of Battle Born, the Nevada Army Guard’s quarterly publication.
“It is the type of moment that makes grown men cry.
“Grown men did just that Sept. 11 at the memorial service for Lt. Col. Heath Kelly, 35, Master Sgt. Christian Riege, 38, and Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney, 31 here at the office of the Adjutant General.
“The three soldiers were gunned down Sept. 6 by Eduardo Sencion, 32, at the IHOP in Carson City while they planned Joint Force Headquarters’ September drill activities and family day events.”
At the memorial service then-Gov. Brian Sandoval said, “Death will not triumph over their good names.” South Lake Tahoe resident Florence Donovan-Gunderson also died during the shooting.
Lt. Col. Heath Kelly
Speakers included the Nevada Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Bill Burks, Army Guard Commander Brig. Gen. Frank Gonzales, and Command Sgt. Majors Steve Sitton and Daryl Keithley.
“Keithley was headed to a National Guard Bureau conference in Washington, D.C., before he heard the news of the dead and immediately flew back to Nevada. Keithley said the last time he saw McElhiney, she was serving cupcakes at a promotion ceremony, as she often did at Guard events.”
“I told her I was on a diet,” Keithley said, “She said, ‘Sergeant major, the lemon-flavored ones are the diet cupcakes. I put a smile on my face, picked up a cupcake and ate it.”
“Keithley also recalled approaching Riege about his purchase of a 1960 Pontiac GTO earlier this year for Hot August Nights, a classic car show in Reno.”
Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney
“I said, ‘It must be nice to be rich.” Keithley said. “(Riege) put on that big grizzly smile of his and said, ‘Life’s short. You only live once. You got to get the stuff you want now.’ I said, ‘You’re right.’” Lt. Col. Heath Kelly had a dry sense of humor and was passionate about his Louisiana State University Tigers football team.
“What got him really fired up was anything to do with LSU football,” Sandoval said. “He was a Tiger fan to the core.”
“The loss of Kelly, Riege and McElhiney matches the total combat losses of the Nevada Guard in contingency operations around the world since Sept. 11, 2001. The Nevada Army Guard suffered three losses in 2005 when Spc. Anthony Cometa, Chief Warrant Officer John Flynn and Sgt. Patrick Stewart were killed in combat.”
Master Sgt. Christian Riege
••• Ten years ago, Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka was the editor of the Nevada Army Guard’s quarterly publication, Battle Born, Fall 2011. He contacted one of the two Guard survivors. He told me Jeremiah Mock was willing to share his story with me. In a telephone interview, Jeremy shared that he enlisted in the Army in Los Angeles while he was 17. After turning 18 and basic training, he was a truck driver for a year. He held a number of positions in the next nine years. From 1997-2001 he was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Fort Carson, Colo. In 2003 he was assigned to Monterey Bay, Calif. In 2004 he was assigned to Iraq, Italy in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2006. After Afghanistan, Jeremey was discharged at the end his commitment and moved to Reno. He met a friend of his family, Gen. Dozer, who convinced Jeremy to rejoin the Army until 2018 when he’d have 20 years and be eligible for retirement. Jeremy transferred to the Nevada Army Guard in Sept. 2011. Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011, was his second day at the Nevada Army Guard. He was with Kelly, Riege, McElhiney and Sgt. Cait Kelley seated in the corner booth in the IHOP on South Carson Street on that morning. The five were planning the Guard’s fun family events for Sept. 11, 2011. Remember all the western movies had a saloon scene where a big-name gunfighter entered the saloon and sat at the back of the saloon with his back to the wall facing the swinging doors entering the saloon. Unfortunately, Jeremy’s back faced the front entrance. At 8:56 a.m. Sencion entered the IHOP. In 27 seconds, he fired most of his 79 rounds from a Norinco MAK-90, a Chinese made AK-47, modified to fire automatically, a machine gun. At least one of the rounds struck Jeremy’s right elbow shattering it into 15 pieces causing nerve damage. Instantly Jeremy’s training and battle experience kicked in as he ducked under their table. Jeremy’s right forearm was flopping around while his elbow was seriously bleeding. Instinctively, as a medic, his left hand reached in his left pocket for a tourniquet, nothing. He removed his belt and used it as a tourniquet on his right elbow while under the table. In the fire fight, Jeremy’s training kicked in, shutting down his ability to hear so he could concentrate on caring for wounded. He did not hear the people screaming and crying. Someone yelled, “Call 911!” As soon as the gunman left the IHOP, a person began escorting IHOP patrons who weren’t wounded outside. When the Carson City Sheriff’s deputies arrived, they did not stop to care for the wounded. They were trained to clear a building of the gunman or gunmen. As soon as they found the shooter’s body in his minivan from a self-inflicted head wound, they moved the bodies of a civilian, and two Nevada Army Guardsmen outside and covered them with a tarp. Jeremy arrived at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center to receive two surgeries to repair his elbow. Later he had reconstructive surgery at Renown repairing his elbow closer to normal. Jeremy said, “Ken, Sept. 6, 2011, was not my worst day.” I didn’t ask him what was his worst day. I would place my bet that one or more days in Iraq or Afghanistan was his worst day seeing his “brothers in arms” in a body bag. Jeremy asked me, “Ken, guess what I got into after I retired from the Guard in 2018? I’m in the shooting industry. I spent time playing lacrosse and snowboarding with my sons. Separately, several of my friends had suggested, ‘Jeremy, why don’t you open a gun store. Now I teach conceal and carry classes, home defense and work with public safety giving lectures. You’re responsible for your defense.” ••• Brig. Gen. Bill Burks was the adjutant general when three of his soldiers were killed at the IHOP shooting. He received the call, “There’s been a shooting at the IHOP where five of your personnel were having breakfast. I didn’t know who’s dead or alive. My first thought was, ‘Is this for real!’ Gov. Sandoval called me to say, ‘Let us know what you need.’” When Burks arrived at the IHOP, the street was blocked with public safety vehicles. He parked his car and approached Sheriff Kenny Furlong for an update. The update was grim. Burks emphasized to his public affairs personnel to “be truthful and accurate.” A Nevada Army Guard Casualty Assistance Officer was assigned to each family of the three deceased Guardsmen. He met with each family to express his sorrow for their loss. Riege’s father was a Christian minister. When Burks entered the room to speak with Christian’s dad, he noticed the dad’s body language, his arms and legs were crossed. Bill sat beside Christian’s dad and told him, “Your son was a bright penny in the Guard.” He gave Christian’s dad his cell phone number and told him, “Call me if you have any questions or need to talk.” Christian’s dad told Bill, “You’re first person who spoke the truth to me today.” Sometime later, Bill was about to leave the hospital and decided to look in McElhiney’s room to say goodbye. He saw that she wasn’t in her room. Her bed was empty. He asked a doctor standing nearby, “Where’s Miranda?” “She died, general.” “What happened? I talked with her a short time ago.” “Unfortunately, we missed a bullet that nicked one of her arteries causing her to bleed out. I’m sorry for your loss.” Burks became the face of the Nevada Army Guard every time the media reported about the shooting. Burks was the right person, in the right place, at the right time on that dark day. Burks named Sandoval, Mock, Jeremy’s wife, Stephanie Heath, Sgt. Cait Kelley and LTC Heath Kelly’s wife who recently had a baby, as several of the unsung heroes of Sept. 6, 2011. That baby is 10 years old with only stories, pictures and videos of his or her dad to remember, a similar situation to the children of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan killed in action. Today those adult children would give anything to have one day with their dad. ••• Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011, began like any day for Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong. He arrived at work and was backing his truck into his parking space. Suddenly, a call from dispatch, “A shooting at the IHOP on South Carson Street, multiple victims.” In complete disbelief he shifted into drive with his lights flashing and siren blaring as he headed south to the disaster scene. A number of thoughts flashed through his mind as he pulled up to the IHOP on South Carson Street being the first law enforcement officer at the scene. Within a short time, the Nevada Highway Patrol, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Carson City Fire Department paramedics totaling 150 responders were at the IHOP assisting with the investigation or medical aid. The CCFD paramedics removed and treated wounded outside on the IHOP’s lawn which looked similar to a battle zone. When ready, they were transported to Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center. The critically wounded were flown by Care Flight’s helicopters to Renown in Reno. An operation center was established in the IHOP’s parking lot. Recapping the shooting Furlong said, “The Nevada Army Guard had five members, Lt. Col. Heath Kelly, Master Sgt. Christian Riege, Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney, Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah Mock and Sgt. Cait Kelley attending a breakfast meeting.” Lt. Col. Kelly was seriously wound and moved to the parking lot. “Ken, as soon as critically wounded Lt. Col. Kelly was updated about the medical status of his four Guard members, he passed away,” Furlong said. “That’s true dedication to duty.” Several times during our 76-minute conversation, I could hear the pride in Furlong’s voice as he told me how well everyone, Sandoval, then-Mayor Robert Crowell and every law enforcement agency worked together gathering evidence and piecing together the 85 seconds of terror. “Ken, every law enforcement agency became a member of our team. The FBI held a media conference. They made it clear that Sept. 6 was a local event, not an international terrorist event. For the remainder of the week, we had requests from around the world for information.” At the time of the shooting, the nation was on high alert just days away from the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. “Here’s two incidents that happened in the parking lot after Sencion shot up the inside of the restaurant. One woman had just placed her motorcycle helmet on her head when Sencion shot hitting her helmet. The bullet entered on the side, traveled around to the back and stopped. The bullet grazed the side of her head before it stopped.” “After shooting at her motorcycle, Sencion began chasing another woman in the parking lot, firing 12 rounds. None hit her. He was so disappointed that he went to his minivan, place his 38-caliber revolver to his head and pulled the trigger. He was taken to Carson Tahoe Hospital and pronounced dead. The death count could easily have been much higher than four plus the gunman. “The IHOP corporation took care of their employees who were traumatized after witnessing all the carnage in the restaurant. “Ken, Mayor Bob Crowell emphasized he didn’t want Carson City to be remembered as the place where the IHOP shooting took place. The people of Northern Nevada and the various public safety agencies always come together when there is a need in our communities. I have nothing but praise for everyone.” Two days after my phone interview with Furlong, I met him and CCSO Sgt. Craig Lowe, the lead investigator of the shooting. Lowe said, “All the witnesses were interviewed at the CCSO. With 12 interview teams, all the witnesses were interviewed in less than two hours. Everyone was scared. It isn’t everyday they’re faced with a life and death situation. One woman had a mental breakdown from witnessing the mass shooting. “In the first 24 hours after the shooting, we couldn’t keep up with the responses from around our country and the world.” For years Sencion’s family drove him to Sacramento for professional help because they didn’t know the same help was available in Carson City. Sencion heard voices in his head which told him what to do. There’s a good chance that the IHOP shooting could have been avoided if Eduardo had received help and was monitored locally. “We had Eduardo Sencion’s blood tested several times. Every test confirmed Eduardo hadn’t taken his medication. His blood tested negative for his medication,” Furlong said. “There are many challenges for people getting the help they need regarding mental health. You have to seek mental health treatment or medication to assist a person living in society.” Burks reflected if only Sencion’s brother was home that morning, if his parents had not gone shopping that morning, if he hadn’t known the combination to the gun safe and if he hadn’t purchased his guns while fudging on the truth, the killing spree would never have happened. “You didn’t have to be shot to be a victim,” Furlong said. “Everyone (of the responders) understood their role, and they did it.” Carson City resident and Nevada Appeal contributor Ken Beaton conducted interviews and research for this piece.
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Lt. Col. Heath Kelly
Sgt. 1st Class Miranda McElhiney
Master Sgt. Christian Riege