St. Mike’s Tikes administrator was victim in Lacey domestic violence shooting

Christina Belcher, assistant director of St. Mike’s Tikes in Olympia, died Friday as the result of a domestic violence shooting. She was 44.

Miho Wright, director of the preschool, could not be reached Monday.

In an email to parents, which was forwarded to The Olympian, Wright said the school remained closed Monday and will be on limited hours the remainder of the week.

“We will be meeting with staff during the day on Monday and appreciate your understanding regarding the need to close the center to allow staff time to grieve,” Wright’s email reads.

The school planned to have a meeting with parents Monday evening, and also plans to “develop age-appropriate talking points and communication strategies” for the children who attend the school.

The Olympian reported Saturday that Belcher died following a shooting at her Lacey area home Friday night.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a home on Bella Court Southeast near Lacey shortly before 10 p.m. for a domestic disturbance. A 24-year-old man had called to report his parents were fighting. Dispatchers could hear yelling in the background and what sounded like gunfire, according to the sheriff’s office.

The caller and his 12-year-old sibling then fled the home.

Christina Belcher was later removed from the home with multiple gunshot wounds and rushed to nearby medical aid where she was pronounced dead. A SWAT team later entered the home where they found David Belcher dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

This story was originally published September 11, 2017 at 3:23 PM with the headline "St. Mike’s Tikes administrator was victim in Lacey domestic violence shooting."