COLORADO SPRINGS — Ke’Arre Stewart, a father of two girls and an Army veteran who served in Iraq, was remembered Sunday as “a good friend and an amazing listener.”
Jennifer Markovsky, a mother of two, “was the most lovable person,” said her father, John Ah-King. “So kindhearted, just always there when I needed her.”
Stewart and Markovsky each accompanied friends to a Planned Parenthood clinic on Friday, and both were killed by a gunman who opened fire on civilians and the police officers who responded to the mayhem.
A third victim, campus police Officer Garrett Swasey, was mourned by fellow parishioners at a tearful church service Sunday.
The man accused in the attack, 57-year-old Robert Dear, faces his first court appearance on Monday through a video advisement. Police officers picked through the crime scene for further evidence into the evening on Sunday, and a memorial at the site continued to grow.
Stewart, 29, graduated from La Vega High School in Texas in 2004 and joined the Army, said friend Amburh Butler. Stewart was stationed at Fort Hood and did one tour in Iraq.
“He moved to Colorado because he was stationed there, but he stayed because he loved it,” said longtime friend Eric Cross Sr.
Butler, also 29, had been friends with Stewart since they were 11 years old. “He was a stand-up guy,” she said. “If you were hungry, he fed you. If you were cold and needed a ride, he was just there. He was a good friend and an amazing listener.”
Cross knew Stewart since the two were in sixth grade.
“He was the only sixth-grader with a goatee,” said Cross, who lives in Texas.
Stewart was a good father and friend, Cross said.
“He loved his daughters to death,” he said. “He would do anything for them.”
Cross described Stewart as a popular man who was known for his athleticism in high school, playing football and basketball and running track.
“He was smart,” Cross said. “He always wanted the best life had to offer for him and those around him.”
Cross spoke to Stewart a week ago, he said.
“Even though he had a lot going on, he was still in good spirits,” he said. “He was someone you could just sit and talk to about life. He will be greatly missed.”
Markovsky, 35, was with a friend at the clinic when she was killed, her father said. She grew up in Hawaii and met her husband, Paul, there. The couple moved to Colorado when he was stationed here for the military.
Family remembered her as a stay-at-home mom who was devoted to her young son and daughter.
Speaking from his home in Hawaii, Ah-King said he found out about his daughter’s death from his other daughter who had been contacted by friends.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Ah-King said through sobs. “I just messaged her Thursday to say Happy Thanksgiving.”
Police issued a statement Sunday that said they would not discuss the gunman’s motive, the type of weapon used or a timeline of events. Warrants in the case have been sealed.
Police said it will take six to seven days to process the crime scene. Twelve people — many of them law enforcement officers — were injured in the attack, in addition to the three people killed.
The city’s police and fire departments, along with mental health and emergency response organizations, set up a community crisis center on Sunday afternoon that they plan to keep open for days.
The Mortgage Solutions Financial Expo Center was transformed into aid stations complete with recovery packets, victims rights information and many open ears to hear the grisly experiences of those most closely impacted by the tragedy, including first responders.
“Do not isolate yourself,” Gerald Albrent, disaster response coordinator for Aspen Pointe mental health services, warned the public.
Albrent urged anyone who was affected by the shootings to seek help and talk about what happened.
“What we’re expecting to see, what we are hoping to see, is people who may have some anxiety and feelings of guilt,” said Dan Vaught, a Colorado Springs Fire Department paramedic who heads the agency’s community response team.
Vaught said his role is to keep those affected by the shootings out of crisis.
“It’s a process,” Vaught said. “There’s not anything you can say (to make it better). It’s taking someone, figuratively, by the hand and helping them a step at a time. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as taking medicine or throwing a Band-Aid on it. These wounds can last a very long time, and it requires someone to walk beside you.”
Some 48 hours after the attack ended, the Planned Parenthood clinic remained illuminated by the blue and red flashing lights of police cars Sunday night. Investigators were still scouring the area for evidence as officers stood guard.
Memorials dotted the crime scene perimeter, which was draped in yellow police tape. A candle flickered before a gathering of bouquets encircling a card that read: “In loving memory of Officer Swasey and the two other victims. Rest in paradise.”
Signs hugged light poles reading: “We (heart) Planned Parenthood” and “Keep Planned Parenthood Safe.”
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
Staff writers Jennifer Brown, Elizabeth Hernandez, Jordan Steffen and Yesenia Robles contributed to this report.
