Shock, Anger And Sadness Over Murder-Suicide

State Rep. Diana Urban (North Stonington, Stonington) didn’t check the news before she headed to bed on Tuesday night, but when she woke up at 5 a.m. on Wednesday and looked at the news she cried.

“Just tears, they were babies” Urban said was her first response upon learning the result of an Amber Alert issued on Tuesday, was the death of North Stonington children, two-year-old Alton Perry and six-month old Ashton Perry. Their grandmother Debra Denison, 47, of Stonington picked the two boys up from a North Stonington day care and shot them, then herself police reported.

After the tears Urban, who is the Chair of the Select Committee on Children, said there was anger.

“It’s an incredible tragedy,” Urban said. “There are too many of these tragedies.”

Urban’s response mirrors that of an entire community in mourning.

“My heart is broken for these parents,” Deb Carney Carlson wrote on the Stonington-Mystic Patch Facebook page. Others reached out via social media to the parents of the two children Brenda and Jeremy Perry of North Stonington sending thoughts, prayers and asking what they could to do help.

Brenda thanked everyone for the prayers, but also asked people to be cautious of what they said saying that her mom was sick.

"Thank you for the prayers. I ask for you to also pray for my brother and sister. They lost three people last night its bitter-sweet to say but my mom was sick and we need to pray for jay an my sis please be cautious of what is said as they both are on my page..."

Stonington First Selectman Ed Haberek Jr., said he called North Stonington First Selectman Nick Mullane to offer his condolences.

“I was devastated,” Haberek said.

According to Haberek Stonington counselors will be available to North Stonington if needed.

“I was floored,” Stonington resident Wendy Bury said. “I didn’t expect it to turn out that way.”