New law named for Hill aimed at preventing similar future tragedies
VANCOUVER — After over seven months, the memory of that day still sticks in the minds of those that were there.
In November of 2019, the estranged husband of Tiffany Hill, a mother of three, shot and killed his wife and injured his mother-in-law in the parking lot of his children’s school — Sarah J. Anderson Elementary.
First responders raced to the scene, and quickly evacuated Hill and her mother to the hospital, but it was too late. Her husband, after fleeing the scene, engaged law enforcement in a car chase before committing suicide on the side of the road.
Since that horrific day, lawmakers in the state’s capital have voted into law the Tiffany Hill Act, which puts in place a system that gives a warning via phone, when a person whom one has a restraining order against gets too close.
Had this technology been in place in November, Hill may still be alive.
Sen. Lynda Wilson (R) initiated the bill and visited Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School with members of Fire District 6, Clark County Sheriff’s Office and C-TRAN, yesterday evening. They came to remember Hill and say ‘thank you’ to the many educators who jumped into action on that day.
“Thank you for everything that you’ve done for our community, the way you represent our county, as a community to take care of our children. What you did on that terrible day to jump in and help out and take care of those kids, I mean, it’s very touching to us,” said Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins. “This is just a little way that we can say ‘thank you’ to you. I just wish there was so much more we could do.”
The Hazel Dell Business Association, in partnership with Sen. Wilson’s office and Clark County Fire District 6, hosted the drive-by event.
“You guys are just an amazing community,” Sen. Wilson said. “I wasn’t sure how it was gonna feel when I came. It’s very emotional. I don’t know how you guys handle this. I just want to thank you all. We knew that we needed a hero to get this bill through, and Tiffany will always be our hero for that. She was a strong woman. This is such a great way to honor her.”
Teachers and staff members from the school joined the event, many proudly wearing matching shirts with the words “Anderson Strong’’ across the front.
“People outside the community and people who don’t interact with them on a daily basis, this was a really different situation,” one administrator said. “Because in times of crisis, you see where people’s hearts are. These guys, their hearts were there.”
