Woman sought refuge at shelter, friend says

Fearing for herself and her children's safety after her husband allegedly threatened to kill her, Katherine Moshiri sought refuge at a local shelter, according to a friend.

"She said they wouldn't take her because Michael was too old," said the friend, who asked that her name be withheld.

After learning she couldn't stay at the shelter, Moshiri filed for an order of protection against Mir Shahin Moshiri, her husband, less than two hours before he went on a shooting rampage Monday, killing himself and 4-year-old Madison Moshiri.

Michael Jeffers, 16, died Tuesday from injuries sustained after being shot by his stepfather. Katherine Moshiri and her 2-year-old daughter Meghan Moshiri remain hospitalized in critical condition. Jeffers had been a student at Jackson High School, and his classmates observed a moment of silence Wednesday morning, principal Rick McClard said. Grief counselors were on campus in case students needed to talk to someone, he said.

Linda Garner, spokeswoman for the Safe House for Women, said, "It is our policy and the policy of most of the shelters in Southeast Missouri not to allow males over the age of 13 to stay here."

Garner would not comment on whether Moshiri had sought help from Safe House for Women because all inquiries made by women seeking refuge the shelter are strictly confidential.

In a situation where the shelter would not allow someone who had called the hot line to stay, Garner said, other options would be discussed with them and they would be made aware of their choices, such as going to a shelter without such a policy, like the one in Columbia, Mo.

"In some situations, the woman leaving the area might be the best situation," Garner said.

Other suggestions might include contacting nearby family members or staying at a hotel until other arrangements could be made, she said.

Anyone who calls the Safe House for Women hot line will be given a list of assessment questions to help them determine the best course of action. Among those questions, Garner said, are "are you in immediate danger?" and "do you have any male children over the age of 13 with you?"

"If we had a different physical layout, we might have a different policy, but we have a communal living situation here, and that is the best setup for privacy," Garner said.

Katherine Moshiri met her husband at a car dealership he used to work at in Las Vegas, said her friend.

"Katherine was a lady of the world. She was not gullible at all, but he was very, very, very charismatic," she said.

Police have ruled the shooting a murder-suicide.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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