Archive for Sunday, February 24, 2008

Looking back: Three dead after Oak Creek man goes on shooting binge

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Three men are dead, one by his own hand, in the wake of a wild shooting spree Monday night in an Oak Creek bar and pool hall.

Dead are George Kourkounis, 63, and Robert Jurknovich, 64. Inflicting death by his own hand was Frank Gabossi Sr., 63.

According to the Routt County Sheriff's report, at about 8 p.m. Feb. 24, Frank Gabossi Sr. entered Pete Callas' pool hall in Oak Creek. He was carrying a 30-06 rifle and announced that he was going to kill everyone in the pool hall. The men gathered at the table began to scatter, and Gabossi shot and killed Kourkounis and Jurknovich. He also shot and wounded Eugene Zamudio who was taken to Oak Creek hospital and is now said to be in satisfactory condition.

After the shooting, Gabossi is said to have returned to his home in Oak Creek where he called his wife, who was working at the Oak Creek hospital. While talking to her on the phone, Gabossi killed himself with the rifle.

A retired miner who was born in Italy in 1895, Gabossi is survived by his wife, six sons, four daughters and a brother who is in Italy.

Robert Jurknovich, also a miner, was born in Austria in 1894. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sisters now living in Europe.

Born in Greece in 1895, George Kourkounis is survived by six sisters who are still living in Greece.

Meetings called to consider forming 3 school districts

The importance of attending coming hearings on school districting was stressed this week by County Superintendent of Schools Geraldine Elkins.

The hearings are being held in March before an actual voting some months later on the new organizational plan. It is expected, should the three-district plan be approved by voters, that most enrollment centers would be left much as they are at the present time, while a few would possibly be subject to change.

The suggested three-district plan would reduce the present 30 districts with their 94 school board members to three school districts with seven zone directors elected in the newly proposed Hayden district, five in the Steamboat Springs district, seven in the South Routt district (includes the towns of Oak Creek, Phippsburg, Yampa and Toponas and others in the South Routt County area).

Comments

thecondoguy1 (anonymous) says...

it would have been nice to know in what year this took place, judging from the birthdays, it's not to recent, but those were the days, how to settle a dispute over a little 8 ball..........

February 25, 2008 at 8:41 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

seeuski (anonymous) says...

OK, lets do some math.
Born in 1895 died at 63. 1895+63=year1958

February 25, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

shadow (anonymous) says...

The sheriff probably wasn't behind the reins, but leanin' on the bar. Duck & cover.

February 25, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

QuitYerWhining (anonymous) says...

Now there's an important milestone in OC's illustrious history. They should have had winches mounted on the sheriff's horses so they could have pulled those guys to safety before the bullets started flying::.

February 25, 2008 at 8:16 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

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