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A dying dad sobbed “I love my kids” after he was shot by a crossbow killer — despite repeatedly warning cops he and his pregnant partner were in danger.
Dad-of-two Shane Gilmer, 30, begged a 999 call handler to tell his children how much he loved them after he was fatally injured by a vengeful neighbour, an inquest has heard.
Mr Gilmer made emergency calls lasting around half an hour after Anthony Lawrence attacked both him and partner Laura Sugden at their East Yorkshire home.
Lawrence, who had been served with an eviction notice after the couple made a complaint about a smell of cannabis from his property, broke into the house through the loft and waited in a bedroom for them to return home, Hull Coroner‘s Court heard.
He then shot Mr Gilmer through the arm and torso. The bolt broke the victim‘s arm and a rib, damaged his liver and kidney and became embedded in his spine.
Lawrence then shot Ms Sugden in the head before driving the bolt into her neck after she removed it, the inquest heard.
She managed to escape and, covered in blood and with a gaping wound in her neck, ran to a nearby house after Mr Gilmer told her to keep their baby safe, it was heard.
And left alone, Mr Gilmer – who had two daughters from a previous marriage and was expecting a baby with Ms Sugden – called 999 and told the handler: “I need to say something. I love my children.”
Later in the call, he said: “I need to tell my mum and dad I love them.
“I‘ve fallen out with them last week but I really love them.”
“I love Laura. I hope they’re all ok.”
He also told the handler how excited he was to be a dad again with Ms Sugden, who was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of the horror.
“I really, really wanted this baby,” he said.
“I really wanted it.”
During the conversation, he could be heard crying and screaming with pain as he waited for emergency services to arrive.
And towards the end of the call, he said: “I feel like I‘m fading.
“I‘ve lost so much blood.”
Paramedics rushed him and Ms Sugden to hospital – but tragically Mr Gilmer suffered a cardiac arrest and died as he arrived at Hull Royal Infirmary.
Ms Sugden survived after treatment that saved her life.
The heartbreaking transcripts were released as a coroner heard Mr Gilmer had repeatedly told cops he thought Lawrence would hurt Ms Sugden or him.
The couple had repeatedly pleaded with police to do something – but were fobbed off with a crime number, it was heard.
Mr Gilmer was so concerned he had started sleeping with an axe.
Ms Sugden told the court that when police were told, they “basically said it was our word against his and there wasn‘t a lot they could do”.
She added: “They gave us a number.”
Lawrence struck after Ms Sugden complained to the letting agent, who handed him an eviction notice.
The court heard he was later found dead on the North York Moors. A separate inquest will be held into his suspected suicide.
Mr Gilmer‘s inquest continues.
This article originally appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission
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