'It's not for our understanding. . . '
St. Philip 's f amily killed in Bernal Heig hts home
By Kamille Nixon San Francisco's summertime sky brightly lit a newly painted home on a quiet street in the Bernal Heights neighborhood Monday afternoon. Flowers bloomed and neighbors milled about Ihe curvy street. But so did police officers and nightly news correspondents , because the family who lived here — husband , wife and two daughters — had been killed inside the home the day before . A lieutenant in San Francisco's homicide unit is investigating the deaths of the Shami family: 36-year-old Anthony, 37-year-old Anna, and their daughters Jasmin , 15, and Jamilah, 9. Early news reports suggested that Mr. Shami may have killed his family and then committed suicide. One day after a relative found the family dead , homicide investigator Lt. Judie Purcell said her team is investigating the case as a quadrup le murder "until such time that we have an indication that takes us elsewhere ." The famil y had been part of the St. Philip 's Elementary School community for five years, and the pastor there recalled how just one week ago Jamilah ran up to him, threw her arms around him, and told him she was "delighted" he had returned from a six-month sabbatical . "I was delighted to receive that grace of a smiling person happy to see me," said Father Michael Healy, pastor at St. Philip 's. He continued ruefully as he realized the community would face a profound absence at the upcoming parish festival , an event that usually serves as a joyful reunion for St. Philip's graduates. Father Healy said Jasmin , a "bubbly " teen who was "a great joy, " was looking forward to the festival to catch up with classmates she hadn 't seen since graduating in 2000. "When kids go off we don 't always see them again," said the pastor. Now the community at St. Philip's is grappling with the fact they will not see Jasmin or her little sister again, for entirely unexpected reasons. The day after the family 's bodies were found in their home at 67 Justin Dr., the fourth-graders at Diamond Heights school drew pictures and wrote memorial messages for their slain classmate. The 19 students in basketball-loving Jamilah Jamilah's class are "shellshocked and don 't know what to do or how to feel," said their teacher, Remy Everett. The veteran teacher had helped her pupils say goodbye to their classmate, whom they had known since kindergarten. Messages on the classroom blackboard fea-
He said the biggest challenge he faces is to "ensure the emotional well-being of the students. " He emphasized the school community needs to "celebrate the lives of the family and the life that we had together. We need to understan d that God has called them to a better place." Father Healy stressed a similar message: "I encouraged them not to try to understand this evil and insane situation, but to think in terms of the li ght. They are with Jesus and we can thank God for these children who touched our lives." Mr. Shami graduated fro m San Francisco's Archbishop Riordan High School, Father Healy said. Mrs. Shami stayed very involved in her daug hters ' education and became increasing ly committed to faith life, he said. News reports describe neighbors and friends as being "shocked" at the possibility of a murder-suicide by Mr. I s Shami. a¦H "u < Father Healy also said he had seen no indication or Usui N :.¦:. Sstrife in the family. "The father was alway s there to pick up ¦ s the children , and he was happy to greet me," said the pas¦ w > tor. "He would get a hug and a kiss from the children and HI w there didn 't seem to be any problem evident. " Similarly, news reports quoted friends, family members and co-workers of Mr. Shami as describing the Budweiser marketing manager as "a good guy and he had a good heart." Flowers from her friends adorn Jamilah Shami's desk. A 29-year-resident who lives two blocks away from the Shami home said shock waves are rippling. "It's strange and unsettling, " said the woman, who did wrote in journals and cried when they could, Mrs. Everett said. By the time the teacher spoke to a reporter in the after- not want to be identified. "It leaves a strange gloom in the neighborhood." She said Justin Drive "has had its share of noon, the students were "very tired" and ready to go home. Father Healy described a school-wide prayer service pretty horrifying events," such as a son shooting his moththat took place in St. Philip's Church early Monday, which er and other incidents of domestic violence. "It's internal featured two separate renditions of the prayer of St. trouble rather than reflecting the neighborhood but I don ' t think I'd live on Justin." Francis: "Make me a servant of your peace .. ." What seems to be a highly ironic message in light of Crisis counselors from the Archdiocese were on hand to Sunday 's possible quadruple-murder stands on the front help students and staff cope. lawn of the Shami home. A mock grave marked by stones rests amid brightly colored flowers in the landscaping. A hand-painted "tombstone" says, "Here lay the last owner whose dog on my lawn. RIP." A bit of dark humor, perhaps pointing to a darkJasmin ness against which Father Healy fights. "As a parish priest these children become your own St. Phili p 's principal Stephen Farren said the crisis management efforts would continue as they "monitor the situa- children," he said. "You're touched by their love, their tion" and determine ongoing needs. Mr. Farren had called innocence and their beauty. You want them to grow up and not to be touched by the darkness in our society." the families of fourth-graders on Sunday to alert them.
tured rainbow colors , flowers , and prayers such as, We hope you live a happy life in heaven ," she said. The students read quietly, went to physical education class,
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'As a parish p riest these children become your own children. You're touched by their love, their innocence and their beauty. You want them to grow up and not to be touched by the darkness in our society.'
Classmates express their grief in a rtwork.
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